Film characters stuck between the world of the living and the dead

When I was preparing my next review of the film, it appeared to me that I know a few movies that can be included into certain group. Precisely, those are about characters who found themselves stuck between the world of the living and the dead (no typical horror movies because there are just too many of them to consider).
So let’s see what these films are about.

The Lovely Bones, 2009 (starring Saoirse Ronan, Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon and Stanley Tucci)

This is one of my favorite movies of all time and it was directed by Peter Jackson who knows how to make a perfectly beautiful picture. The idea and main storyline is based on the book of Alice Sebolt that has the same name. It has strong and emotional plot that has you as a captive from the very beginning. You can see how the inevitable happens just before your eyes and you’re in no power to do something about it. All is left for you is just to wait if the culprit gets what he deserves for all his wrongdoings. I think it’s the best role of Stanely Tucci so far although he adds something special to any of the films he plays in. He was so believable as an assailant it gave me chills.

Lucy Salmon who has become a victim of the wicked man is reluctant to leave the life that was so crudely stolen from her in the cruelest of ways. She can’t find peace and rest until she sees her offender getting punishment. Only when she realizes that her invisible presence starts to affect lives of those who she loves finally she comes to a point when she needs to decide if maybe it’s worth to just let go.
Sounds like you might have heard similar stories a few times before, right? But wait, there’s something special about this one!
THE WORLDS! Yes, worlds and worlds of imaginable places Lucy wanders in her in-between space. She’s stuck in NOTHINGNESS that she bends to her willful and most desirable images. She’s found some sort of freedom in the lack of choices.

Visual effects and music that accompanies her incredible journeys are just to die for. No equivoque is implied.
Only one thing hangs over her like a dark cloud with thunder and lightning; it’s her assailant! He'd managed to hunt her in reality and now he's crawled up to her in her “dreams”. You just need to find out who wins in this long-lasting battle.

Just like heaven, 2005 (starring Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo)

This is a romantic comedy that won’t lay heavy on your heart emotionally as the above film but will still move you with its unconventional love-story. It is based on the book “If Only It Were True” by Marc Levy.
The first time I saw it, I was impressed with how different it was from all the romantic comedies at the time. You don’t see the usual falling-in-love but something out of the ordinary. And the scenes in her apartment enticed me so much because I could only wish to have an apartment like that!

The main male character David moves into the apartment where he’s constantly being disturbed by the spirit of the restless woman who claims she’s the owner of the apartment. For the ghost to leave him alone David decides to find peace for the woman by finding out who she truly is and where her body lays. As the plot progresses they start feeling sympathy and tender feelings for each other. Since it’s considered strange to be talking to the emptiness in the public places David often gets into funny situations.
If you haven’t seen the film you should definitely see it!

Ghost, 1990 (starring Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, Whoopie Goldberg and Tony Goldwyn)

This movie is a classic. You don’t really need me to describe you the plot because 95% you would already know it very well without my telling you.
But let’s just remind a little for those 5% that may be in the dark.
It’s a story of the love that went through the most of the hardest challenges ever – death.
Main character was murdered but he refuses to follow the light into the unknown. He stays with his fiancé for the reason he can’t explain to himself. Only later he realizes that the person who murdered him poses a threat to his loved-one. With the help of the psychic he investigates his own death and makes efforts to save his significant other.

The cast is brilliant as is the script. No flaws were found even after dozens of years. It’s sensual and emotional. You’d cry at the final scene even after ten times of watching it. Everything about it screams of eternity. The music, the images, the characters - even the clothes and hair style.

“Awake”, 2007 (starring Hayden Christensen, Jessica Alba, Terrence Howard and others)

I can identify this movie as a drama and thriller at the same time. The main hero of the film is a young man who thinks he knows everything there is to know about his own life. He’s got a malfunction of the heart and he needs a major surgery. Only when he finds himself under the anesthesia on operating table his eyes finally open. He realizes that he can feel all the pain that’s being caused to his body with surgery tools. And the pain is so strong that it literally pushes out his astral-self out of the body. He understands that nobody sees or hears him and he’s like a moth that can unobstructedly observe what others are doing. That’s when he figures out that up to this point he’s been living a LIE.

As you can guess he travels quite a journey to his old self. There are elements of suspense and intrigue. You won’t know the truth until almost the end. You’d be able gather a few clues along the way but you’ll be surprised to see the progression of the story.

If I Stay, 2014 (starring Chloë Grace Moretz, Mireille Enos, Jamie Blackley)

The film is based on the book of the same title written by Gayle Forman.

This movie mostly involves teenagers but it will be interesting for people of any age. It’s quite sad how the whole family of Mia Hall gets into the car accident. As Mia lies in the coma we see the flashbacks to the previous events that led to the tragedy. Her first love, her first disappointment and so on. Mia is still alive but only in her mind and somewhere in-between. She’s caught in the nothingness but she can see how her parents are dying and how her younger brother leaves his life to join the parents on the other side. Mia needs to decide if she wants to stay and continue living or she’d better be off with her family where she’s always loved. What would it be? What is there to live for?

It’s a drama and fiction piece of cinema-work. It has ups and downs as any other film. But it’s harmonious and screen work is excellent. Script was put together nicely.

The 9th Life of Louis Drax, 2016 (starring Jamie Dornan, Sarah Gadon, Aaron Paul, Aiden Longworth and Oliver Platt)

The film is based on Liz Jensen’s book of the same title.
I heard that the critics gave contrasting reviews to this film. And I have to say that I don’t really care.

I had some spare time and I wanted to see something “fresh out of oven”. This film just suited for the occasion. I wasn’t disappointed. The suspense, the picturesque scenes, interesting characters and the mystery that would hold you captivated up to the end.

Louis Drax, whose mysterious fall from the rocky cliff gets him into the coma, is caught in his mind. As he is very young and positive he befriends imaginary creature. This creature is his sanity that leads him to the truth that this boy tried so hard to keep hidden even from himself. Louis knows what truly happened to him and that the fall wasn’t accidental. He just needs some encouragement to open the layers over the box of Pandora. The doctor specializing on coma observes the condition of his newly received patient and with time he gets signs and clues that Louis tries to send him in his forced sleep.

I had a very good time watching all of these movies and I can easily recommend any of these to you.
I understand that there may be some other films that can be listed here, but I have plans for some of them to be mentioned in other reviews. So just wait and see them later!

As always thank you for staying with me until the end of the post and I wish you more good books and movies!

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