They don’t make ’em like this anymore, only in this case they did.

Back when the world was smaller, you could track the purchases at Sundance to the ultimate distribution of the pics, usually close to a year later. But now…

I knew about the bidding for “Train Dreams,” I knew Netflix bought it, but I can’t hold that much information in my brain, with the tsunami of music, movies, TV and news coming down the pike. Unlike in the old days, something can be great and still not surface, that’s how hard it is to spread the word. Whatever buzz there was on “Train Dreams” at Sundance, it dissipated and never reignited, at least in my world.

Turns out “Train Dreams” was put out in theatres, to take care of the Oscar qualification issues, but then it appeared on Netflix, in November of this past year. I was not aware of this, and never would be except for the fact that I’m constantly searching for things to stream, and “Train Dreams” came up on some site I was doing research on and it turned out the RottenTomatoes score was 95/90, which is extraordinary, and it was nominated for Best Picture. 

That’s right, a film you’ve probably never heard of and probably won’t in the future is one of the ten nominees. As you will remember, they expanded the slate in order to slip in a popcorn movie or two to satiate those who can no longer relate to the Oscars, to rope them in. This didn’t work, but they still have ten nominees instead of the old five. And if you do the math…you can win the award without even getting twenty percent of the vote, how is this the best? Ditto on the Grammys.

Anyway, we pulled “Train Dreams” up on Netflix after the Olympics last night and I’ve got to tell you, for about twenty minutes I was thinking of turning it off, because it was slow and I didn’t know where it was going. A lot of vaunted films never pan out in the viewing experience, you’re waiting to see what the critics saw…and you never find it, and you’ve lost another two hours of your life.

But since it was nominated for an Oscar, I let “Train Dreams” play on, and it clicked.

What we’ve got here is a seventies movie. About people and their hopes, expectations and inner life. The kind the theatres used to be filled with. But the seventies were fifty years ago, and small films, even if profitable, were superseded by blockbusters and now studios swing for the fences with each and every release, and they don’t release many. Furthermore, people won’t go out to see these “small” films. They’re out of the habit of going. You’ve got to get in your car, find a place to park, maybe even pay for it, lay down twenty or so dollars and endure too many trailers for a film that you ultimately might not like. Meanwhile, for the same amount of money you can get a Netflix subscription with a plethora of content that starts whenever you want it to, which you can stop if you don’t like it, all for the same amount of money it costs to go out to see a film in a theatre. Tell me how this paradigm survives?

It doesn’t.

So “Train Dreams” is based on a story by Denis Johnson that I have not read, even though I’m aware of him.

And what you’ve got here is a rich landscape and the story of Robert Grainier, who has no pedigree, no advantages, doesn’t even know his own parents or birth date, and he’s just trying to survive, day by day. And survival is no different today, even though we’re confronted with “winners” living lives of luxury 24/7. But a hundred years ago, when most of “Train Dreams” takes place, the world was not networked to anywhere near the degree it is today. Grainier never ventured far from his home in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, and only did so for work.

And Grainier’s work is as a sawyer, cutting down the vast forests of the northwest for the war effort, for a burgeoning America. And the work is hard…before machines it took a damn long time to cut down all those trees. And during the season Grainier hooks up with a crew and… There’s a bit of camaraderie amongst some of the men, but the truth is you could work with someone for months and then never see them again.

William H. Macy is nearly unrecognizable as old geezer Arn Peeples. Dropping wisdom from his lengthy experience, even though the youngsters laugh at him. That’s one thing “Train Dreams” gets right, you’re the young buck and you don’t think you’ve changed but then a new generation comes along and has contempt for you.

And how long can you work with your hands anyway?

And another old codger talks a good game, but he’s sacrificed his entire life to cutting down trees. Maybe he just never found the right person to love.

Gladys finds Grainier. They have a love affair, they get married, build a house, have a child and…

The thing about “Train Dreams” is the expected never happens.

You expect everything to work out in the end. Because that’s how it normally works out in Hollywood. By chance you meet someone who will rescue you, who will fall in love with you, and your life will have meaning. But that’s not the way it usually happens.

This film explores loneliness and loss incredibly well. Topics that are rarely explored in today’s world where everybody projects togetherness. How do you cope with loss day by day. Do you ever get over it? Do you have these feelings until you die?

And the older you get do you find out life has meaning or none at all?

And you’re here today, vibrant, but then you live your life and are forgotten, just another cog in the wheel of civilization. Life is supposed to work out, right?

I’m not so sure about that.

“Train Dreams” rings true in a world where so much entertainment does not, especially movies, where name brand stars supersede the story which is flimsy and predictable.

If you’re gonna watch it, commit to the whole thing, that’s what you have to do in order to get it. But it’s under two hours, it’s not a huge commitment.

And that’s a flaw in movies, there’s much more character development in series, never mind more plot/story, but human emotions are explored and nailed in “Train Dreams” and that’s what makes it stick out. I’m not so sure I can recommend it, because so many people are not up for this kind of entertainment. But if you combed the movie listings, went to the theatre multiple times a week, saw the hip foreign flicks back in the day, “Train Dreams” will resonate with you.