Brilliant film.

http://jeremymoss.org/gods-of-light-idols-of-mud/

Baumbach’s scripts only work when his productions are lower budget, the camera is handheld, the image is grainy, and the lighting is low. When his cinema is polished, shot 35mm and glossy - not so much. His self-aware and smarmy scripts don’t stand a chance against such transparency.

So glad this is up!!!

'Be Here To Love Me' should be up here.

Awesome still for this page!

Pure. In every way.

This is exploratory, fly enters mid-scene, collagist, Joycean cinema.

SO GREAT

The worst is the string of coincidence that make up the film’s story - so there’s this boring guy who supposedly imagines heist scenarios and it turns out that after one coincidental event after the next (like 6 of them) he stumbles upon an actual heist he can enact himself. No. Happenstance after happenstance cannot be believed.

Ugh

Nice film. I must say, though, that the ending felt a bit sudden, abrupt, simplistic (maybe), and sentimental. Loved the naturalistic 16mm photography. Some amazing performances. This is acting.

The most appealing elements, for me, were the documentary-like moments at the slaughterhouse interwoven within the film’s narrative. A wonderfully inventive and honest film that openly pays homage, yet does not copy, great cinematic inventions and practices.

no

Within this minimalist and spare filmic skeleton seems to be a witty and weighty allegory. Loved the bookends. The characters - especially the old man - a very funny performance. The static camera/single shot scene structure (think Stranger Than Paradise) in the first half contrasted to the haphazardly operated television camera perspective in the second is a great element of this film’s wit, humor, and pragmatic semi-tragedy.

A pastiche of Godardian meanderings, newsreel footage, and realist tendencies. It is an intellectual exercise, an essay, an attempt to understand, explore, and establish the place of artists and intellectuals within the revolution. Very possibly my favorite film.

A poetic and atmospheric documentary about a filmmaker and visual artist who loses his sight. Wall to wall narration (story telling) from the individual and subject of the film. Wall to wall music. A sea of urban and abstract imagery. 70 glorious minutes. I found it be be very engaging and beautiful (moving and inspiring). This film left such an impression on me - I think of it often.

Bemberg, on the making of the Juana Inéz de la Cruz biopic: “The Sor Juana project fits in with what I set out to do when I began to make movies - to change the very uninteresting image of women that film generally conveyed. When it comes to women, Latin American film is terribly poor and tendentious. Women are generally presented as a function of male ambition and are too often, even today, the object of a distorting, grotesque misogyny.”

Yes, a bit self-important and dry at times - yet still an interesting, inspiring, and informative survey of the history and scope of modern-day advertising.

THE BATTLE OF CHILE must be on this database!

I must say that this film absolutely blew me away. Sweeping, beautiful, pragmatic, intense. The drama, story structure, shifts in setting, character development, photography, opening image ...

A perfect narrative film.

The only thing of value here is performance. Editing, directing, cinematography, writing (especially script structure), music usage - all cliche, designed to manipulate.

Saw this at Sundance in '09. LOVED

Saw thus last night at sxsw. I love it. Gentle and engaging. A beautiful mix 16mm and 8mm home movies.

Dramatic realism without the cynicism. I am in love with the Dardenne brother. Genius. These films represent such an uncompromising and pure cinema. No score/music, yet the drama resonates and near the end there is definitely an edge-of-the-seat factor. This one even has a chase scene. Eat it Hollywood.

I can't wait for this: http://www.talkingfilms.net/todd-field-still-working-hard-on-blood-meridian

Strikingly beautiful, carefully/meticulously crafted. A quiet character study and visceral allegory for middle-class guilt in Latin America.

I little too much of that 1990s gimicky camera razzle dazzle (e.g. Trainspotting), yet for the most part this is engaging and resonating cinema.

Structurally, tonally, cinematographically mesmerizing. And as a map enthusiast, this might be my favorite film opening - I was had at the slowly highlighting geographic regions pertaining to the setting, story and revolutionary plight.