Luna (DVD)

An unforgettable visit of memories interrupted by another world's seamless movement of images and demons, raw and pure. The reality of illusions ends with a smile.

sensitive, subtle performance by Michael Maloney.

Having seen McKean's  Mirrormask , I looked forward to great things. Oops. McKean had done a number of short pieces before this feature-length indie, and the minimal budget came through in all of them, this included. I guess this indie was interesting enough that a big studio teamed him up with a serious writer (Gaiman) and serious budget for that movie. The fantasy elements in this were only occasional, though. The main plot was a small group of friends-ish in a claustrophobic setting, with enough drama between them to supply a much larger group. Even that might have worked better for me if the sound track had been clearer. Alas, it was not - and my aging ears and laptop speakers did it no favors, I'm sure.On the positive side, I never realized what a polymath McKean is. I knew his name first as an artist of visually stunning comics, then as visual stylist for Mirrormask (which I recommend at the top of my lungs). This, plus other recent readings, showed me that he's a director, scriptwriter, composer, and musician, as well as the hustler who pulled all this together. (His name recurs throughout the credits, in a variety of roles.)So, although I respect his skill greatly (and more after learning about this), I can't recommend it - unless you're a McKean completist or have higher tolerance for rough-around-the-edges indies than I do. See Mirrormask instead.-- wiredweird

Dave McKean takes a well worn situation (four friends, secrets , revelations) and makes it a bit more memorable than most stories like this deserve. The acting was very good and the effects were very well integrated into this story of loss. Trust me, it's a pleasure when someone realizes that visual effects aren't always for superheroes or space wars or bad disaster films. The cinematography and music work well. Not a film for everyone but I'll be watching it again.

what the hell?

Nonsense! Don't waste your time or money! Thumbs down!

Interesting story about 3 long time friends and a new 4th person and how they fit/don't fit with each other. Dreamy mood with gorgeous art/costuming and excellent acting. Well worth watching again.

...but if you don't mind that and are looking for an emotional roller coaster of a drama then you may just like this one. good acting and good (though rather ho-hum) story if i was in it for that, but i wanted to see animation so i was very disappointed.i recently found the director dave mckean's short film collection and was very impressed (see my review on that book/blu-ray combo) i keep watching those over and over again. now i highly recommend that disc. and i saw mirrormask years ago but was adamantly sour towards cgi at the time so didn't give it much of a chance. i recently ordered a copy of it and am just waiting for that to be delivered. i'll probably leave a review on that one too after i view that one again. this time with a more open mind having seen and have fallen for his mini movies.as for luna? barely any animation. about an hour and a half worth of a 4-way "ok" but same-old-same-old/seen-it-before kinda drama and maybe 15 minutes worth of animation snippets that at least on the surface seem to have nothing to do with the rest of the film. it's not horror or fantasy at all as advertised. i was expecting more from dave after falling in love with his short films. those aren't entirely animation either but at least they work better in context and have more to them than a chick-flick story line. the opening sequence to go with the opening credits was entirely animated so i got cozy thinking, "oh i'm in for a treat with this one" anticipating it to be an hour an a half worth of animation and maybe 15 minutes of whatever story. but no, that part was the longest segment of animation in the whole film. and really if you watch the trailer(s) you'll see most of the bits that are animated that you're gonna see, but that's all you're gonna get out of it. it's really false advertising.i'll say give it a watch if you want a drama with some twists. but to me it's not worth a second viewing. i'll be selling my copy.

So, if you want to face those demons, you know, those demons, give it a go...

This exquisitely crafted vision will have you spellbound from start to finish. Dave McKean and his highly talented team of creatives have conjured up more than a visual feast, they have collaborated to create a film that will pull and tug at your emotions but thankfully not in the clichéd melodramatic style of so many Hollywood films. If, like me, you are a fan of Dave McKean's artwork then on this level alone the film will enthrall and delight. However, McKean takes his narrative, and through his amazing amalgam of cinematography, astounding soundtrack and visually arresting SFX he has created a unique vision. If you are new to Dave McKean's work, you could do no better than to start with this film. Those of us that have long been fans will surely relish this modern classic for many years to come. Thanks to Dave McKean, his cast of terrific actors, and all of the talented team of creatives that combined their exceptional skills to bring us Luna. Buy it. Watch it. Digest it. Watch it again

This is simply the best film I have ever seen. In all departments it excels. The plot is deep and the story told with sensitivity by a superb cast, it is a many faceted tale that you will come back to time and again to explore nuances that have stayed with you long after the film has ended. The camera work is genius, taking you into the world and giving you a feeling of intimacy with the actors while exploring a beautiful corner of the English countryside. This is definitely a film for those who enjoy the fine art of film making.

Superb film with beautiful visuals, a great cast and a lovely sound track as well as featuring tons of Dave McKean's Magical artwork. Loved every second of the film.The making of Luna was also of interest with a timeline and examples of earlier illustrations etc as well as a brief insight into the music (though Dave McKean said very little if you are expecting a lengthy discussion from the Director). Quite a work and quite a length of time for the project. Very informative making of, much better than the usual making of a film.

Dave McKean creates like no other. There is nobody working that draws like him nor anyone else that comes up with stories the way he does.This apparently took six years to make and for that he already deserves applause for finishing it. But this movie is still a triumph of surrealism and hard truths that intertwine together through it's imagery and characters.