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7/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 7/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Anne of Green Gables remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly, yeah. If you like stories that just let people talk and exist in a room without needing a car chase every ten minutes, give this a spin. If you need grit or fast-paced editing, stay away. You will probably find it boring as watching paint dry on a picket fence.
Anne Shirley (the actress, who took the character's name as her own, which is a wild detail) is just magnetic here. She has this way of blinking and looking like she’s about to cry or launch into a poem at the same time. It’s a very specific energy.
The pacing feels like it was filmed in a different century—which, well, it was. Sometimes a scene will linger on someone just looking out a window. It’s not poetic or deep; it’s just how they shot movies then. It gives you room to breathe.
The house itself feels like a character. It’s all lace doilies and creaky floorboards. You can almost smell the dust and the baking powder.
It reminds me a bit of the simplicity found in The Good Provider, where the focus is just on the domestic stuff. It doesn’t try to be an epic. It doesn’t try to change the world. It’s just about a girl trying to fit in where she wasn't originally invited.
There are moments where the acting feels a bit like stage play projection. You know, when they tilt their heads just a little too much? It’s funny, but you get used to it. It’s not trying to be a Delikatessen-style visual feast; it’s a plain, honest story.
I caught myself getting annoyed at some of the side characters, but that’s fine. People are annoying in real life too. Not every movie needs to be a masterpiece. Some of them just need to be a nice way to spend a Tuesday afternoon. 🌻