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Upstream Color
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Upstream Color

2013
Drama
Sci-fi
1h 36m
A man and woman are drawn together, entangled in the life cycle of an ageless organism. Identity becomes an illusion as they struggle to assemble the loose fragments of wrecked lives. (sundance.org)
Directed by:
Shane Carruth Shane Carruth
Written by:
Shane Carruth Shane Carruth
Starring:
Shane Carruth Shane Carruth Thiago Martins Lynn Blackburn Amy Seimetz Amy Seimetz Andrew Sensenig Andrew Sensenig Frank Mosley Brina Palencia Merideth Burke Trey Walpole Kathy Carruth Myles McGee Andreon Watson
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Genres:
Drama, Sci-fi
AKA:
Upstream Colour
Country:
USA
Language:
English
imdb More information at IMDb
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Upstream Color

2013
Drama
Sci-fi
1h 36m
Your probable score
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer
Avg Percentile 56.48% from 1634 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

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barthalenBarthalen
Rated 20 Jan 2014
86
93rd
A deliciously slow-moving and exposition-free delivery of a fascinating sci-fi concept. Made me feel calm, uncomfortable, mentally stimulated, and finally, oddly, at peace. I was pretty damn blazed at the time, mind.
Rated 20 Jan 2014
paxtonPaxton
Rated 13 Dec 2013
83
92nd
In this big mixed up world it's actually really assuring knowing I have a symbolic host pig out there somewhere.
Rated 13 Dec 2013
suture_selfSuture Self
Rated 02 May 2013
8
80th
If you went up to someone and said "Yeah, you should see this movie about two traumatized lovers with an identity crisis who are mysteriously connected via sensory channels to a wacko worm-pig-orchid cycle" they would probably stare at you blankly and then walk away. But I am fascinated by people in complete control of their artistic weirdness, and thankfully Carruth manages to make this troubling and intimate mess of a film into something well worth watching.
Rated 02 May 2013
kasperlKasperL
Rated 11 May 2013
70
65th
The imagery of Malick and the ambiguous symbolism of Lynch combined. It's great that Carruth tries something very different, and I found that his themes had huge potential ... but the pigs and the romance weren't for me. The opening act is pretty amazing, however. And I'll forgive some daftness and a few whifs of pretention and quirk when his new, impressive visual style and the original language of narration ensure a fascinating and often absolutely enthralling experience.
Rated 11 May 2013
actionbergActionberg
Rated 07 Jun 2013
30
7th
As much as I hate to say it, I thought this film was plum bad. The cinematography was ugly and the acting was awful (especially Carruth), leading to an experience that felt emotionally dead on arrival. The ride was simply inert, and inhuman. I didn't care at all about what was going on, and if there was supposed to be a tone of transcendentalism or something about how they were lacking it, it failed miserably. It just felt like a hefty void of 90 minutes.
Rated 07 Jun 2013
aaautinAAAutin
Rated 10 May 2013
49
44th
Hey, Pig. Yeah, you. Hey, Pig Piggy-Pig Pig-Pig, all of your streams came blue... (THE UPSTREAM SPIRAL.)
Rated 10 May 2013
closefriendCloseFriend
Rated 26 Dec 2013
55
28th
I respect Shane Carruth as a director. Upstream Color certainly burned some images into my mind that I don't think I'll ever forget. But as much as I admire his Hemingway-esque omission of redundant events, his anti-plot approach to filmmaking just doesn't fire on all cylinders for me. He captures Godard's and Lynch's inscrutability without ever fully "selling" the implied emotions the way they did. I never felt a rising or receding tide in the pace that even the most surreal film requires.
Rated 26 Dec 2013
peaceanarchyPeaceAnarchy
Rated 30 Apr 2013
73
36th
The film's visual tone is very well done, creating a dreamlike surreal atmosphere that matches the fractured emotionally complex narrative. That narrative just couldn't consistently engage me, though. For every great moment there was one where all I was thinking was "what's the point of this scene," and at times it felt like the film was trying to achieve insight through willful obfuscation rather than genuine ambiguity.
Rated 30 Apr 2013
twincinematwincinema
Rated 22 Jan 2015
60
35th
My rating is a reflection of my mood before the film, as in, I was not in the mood to watch a film like this, yet continued to watch for ~100 minutes. This is my Criticker, so I get to say whatever I want (Give me a star if you'd like!). The film exists in that liminal space where I am unsure if I didn't like the film based on its own merits, or whether my own mood affected my dislike.
Rated 22 Jan 2015
qthealmightyQtheAlmighty
Rated 27 Dec 2013
91
97th
Part of the beauty and the abstract feeling of wonder, vague fear, and the unknown comes from the presentation, which is borderline masterful if not already such. The rest comes from the content, which I feel I could summarize and leave here with its facets lauded but I will opt to leave it mentioned as something comprehensible yet preternatural yet almost not either. If I sound pretentious or anything, I'm sorry. I'm just a little blown away.
Rated 27 Dec 2013
3drevelation3dRevelation
Rated 19 Dec 2013
25
2nd
Abstract and unintelligible, Upstream Color is a chore. Might have worked as a short film, but full length I found myself very detached from the film. Carruth tries to put lipstick on a pig, which might work for some people, but for me I consider this the worst film I've seen in 2013.
Rated 19 Dec 2013
theficionadotheficionado
Rated 12 May 2016
88
87th
Two people struggle in the aftermath of acts that they did not want to perform. They find solace in each other, but that's just because pigs, probably. UC explores the limits of self-understanding: how inscrutable and impenetrable our motivations are even to us. The film's form -- elliptical, elision-filled -- evokes the characters' disoriented states. However, that Kris and Jeff don't know why they are drawn to one another doesn't necessarily make their connection any less meaningful.
Rated 12 May 2016
ddrudgesd_drudges
Rated 27 Apr 2013
30
30th
Huuhaahaahuilu. The film obviously started as a 20-minute short about a rape fantasy and for some reason got stretched into a feature film, way beyond its breaking point. The film is really hurting to fill its running time and between the absurd, unconnected imagery about Christian oneness you'll be looking at pretty flowers for quite a while. The sci-fi aspect comes from looking at the credits and figuring out if a guy cloned himself a bunch or if he's just lying.
Rated 27 Apr 2013
alex_watkinsAlex Watkins
Rated 28 Apr 2013
3
38th
This made a much stronger impression upon release than it's ended up leaving in subsequent years. Dig the vibes, but there's not much there.
Rated 28 Apr 2013
cagedwisdomcagedwisdom
Rated 02 May 2014
25
17th
Am I missing something here? This is largely meandering, meaningless drivel. Seemingly artsy for the sake of scoring "artsy" points with very little actual content. I didn't completely hate it but I'm honestly annoyed at the praise this is getting. There's an idea here to be sure, and it isn't a bad one, but it's wholly mishandled. The end result is completely limp and purposefully vague, with no justification for it. Should have been a short film, and might have been good in that format.
Rated 02 May 2014
icarusIcarus
Rated 26 Apr 2013
91
91st
A beautiful film about finding wholeness in the aftermath of trauma. Carruth withholds certain elements of the narrative, leaving only what's essential to establish the emotional situations of the characters. UC excels most dramatically in its editing. The use of visual and narrative ellipses invites audience engagement, thus raising the stakes. This was also much more character-driven than Primer, an improvement in my book, while Carruth's sound sets an alternately creepy and mystical tone.
Rated 26 Apr 2013
bojanglesBojangles
Rated 22 Jun 2013
40
22nd
Competently filmed and highly intelligent, apparently. Starts out absurd, turns romantic, and ends up as some sort of religious/philosophical allegory. But really, it's a thousand piece jigsaw puzzle that I'm not all that interested in putting together. I think I'll go read a book instead. Walden, maybe...
Rated 22 Jun 2013
darkcloudDarkCloud
Rated 04 Aug 2013
90
83rd
Film as a dream. Film as a poetry. Film as a music. Film as a flowing lake of placid water. Film as rich in environment and ethereal soul. Film as suspenseful yet beautiful as the change of a season. I sat before the screen dumbstruck in the first 1 hour of this trying to understand the plot, to bind the loose threads together. And at the end of the film, I realised that they were not to be knitted but to allow to run in parallel yet not to fully comprehend each other.A special one, not for al
Rated 04 Aug 2013
superargoSuperargo
Rated 08 May 2013
59
42nd
I dug the reviewer on Criticker who called this a combination of Lynch and Malick; I think that's pretty much exactly right. Visually and aurally stunning, and Seimetz rises to the occasion with a fantastically impressionistic performance. But it's so damned aloof--stubbornly so, it seems. I'm sorry to report that I grew a little impatient with it. Kinda wanna see it again, though.
Rated 08 May 2013
burkayadaligburkayadalig
Rated 28 Oct 2013
55
13th
"I-like-Malick-but-cannot-shoot-one-like-him-so-let-me-drown-you-with-symbols-and-visions-in-a-Lynch-way" type movie... I deeply regret the moment I read "sci-fi" at IMDB for this movie
Rated 28 Oct 2013
hawkinsHawkins
Rated 06 Sep 2016
59
24th
More appreciable than enjoyable. After some internet sleuthing and a second watch it actually makes sense, but still doesn't do much for me. The emphasis on focus and fractured editing work a little too well to relate the characters' disorientation, and the central romance comes off awkwardly (but probably intentionally) sterile. The Lynch/Malick comparison does seem apt, as it bears similarities to Tree of Life and Dune.
Rated 06 Sep 2016
dtortumdtortum
Rated 12 Apr 2013
75
16th
I think Tree of Life is the worst thing that happened to American Cinema. *** Upstream Color is the peak of HDSLR cinematography and the sound design is impeccable. It is an incredible audio-visual experience. Yet, this doesn't mean that it is a good film: Falling short when trying to be "sublime" and "deep", Upstream Color would be the ultimate Vimeo Staff Pick!
Rated 12 Apr 2013
neurophateneurophate
Rated 14 Aug 2013
82
79th
I was dreaming or what?
Rated 14 Aug 2013
bakcheiabakcheia
Rated 21 Dec 2013
96
94th
One of the best films this year, for sure. The visuals were gorgeous with some incredibly impeccable editing too. Not only that, but this film was a beautiful meditation on love and co-dependence wrapped up in an intriguing sci-fi plot. The story was a little obscure, but I think it was straightforward enough to be followable, yet abstract enough for metaphorical interpretations. Beyond the cinematography, the soundtrack could easily be the most stunning part about this film. I was blown away.
Rated 21 Dec 2013
nuotionuotio
Rated 24 Sep 2013
55
50th
This really requires a couple of viewings to open up but I'm not yet convinced it's worth the effort. That said, I enjoyed the visual style and the mood; and it gives me comfort that there are still films like this being made today. Lynch meets Malick is a spot-on comparison.
Rated 24 Sep 2013
charlieCharlie
Rated 15 Feb 2013
85
91st
This was special...not a picture for everyone...but really something special...
Rated 15 Feb 2013
corbadCorbad
Rated 03 Apr 2015
80
79th
To look at this film linearly and logically is to miss the point. It's a magnificent, surreal, visually and sonically affecting art piece. (I missed the point).
Rated 03 Apr 2015
badfurdayBadFurDay
Rated 29 Sep 2014
1
2nd
A tryhard attempt at making an indie movie or something. Pretentious, bad, disappointing.
Rated 29 Sep 2014
mkellinsmkellins
Rated 14 May 2013
70
76th
The peoples' lives are shattered and stripped by the thief and the worm, forcing them to start over from nothing. The Sampler observes all these events as if they were just a big science experiment. The book Walden is also a major theme in the story. Much like the novel the film explores the strength and capacity of people. I though it was a stunning film and deserves multiple viewings.
Rated 14 May 2013
joojooJooJoo
Rated 15 May 2014
4
55th
Much to love and hate. I can't decide.
Rated 15 May 2014
anomalyAnomaly
Rated 14 Sep 2013
79
72nd
Thankfully Carruth decides to move away from Primer's false constructed complexity and instead focuses on mood and emotion. THAT is what makes such abstract plots work: here we care about the characters and want to invest energy in figuring out what each mystery means for the whole. As such the film rings true as it explores the small, non-corporeal links between two individuals used as cogs in a biological machine. Keep this up, Carruth.
Rated 14 Sep 2013
neonmanNeonman
Rated 20 Nov 2013
53
8th
There's an aspect to this film that I find impressive, specifically the Malick-esque approach to editing this confused narrative that is more focused on emotion and experience than story. But I found this to be way too impenetrable, self-involved, and pretentious (not to mention boring and directionless) -- I was waiting throughout the whole film for a "a-ha!" moment to make it all worthwhile, but it never came. I don't see why such a dense story had to be presented so in such an abstract manner
Rated 20 Nov 2013
igormacheteigormachete
Rated 13 May 2016
50
10th
As obnoxious and annoying as it is beautiful and original. I should probably watch it a second time, but I'm not sure if I want to.
Rated 13 May 2016
kercKerc
Rated 21 Apr 2013
29
96th
At the delta of Malick and Fincher emerges this... symphony of brisk, elegant montage and sonic splendor.
Rated 21 Apr 2013
obdurateObdurate
Rated 02 May 2013
85
80th
When you watch this you can't help but get caught up in the beauty. It drifts through it, every shot is wonderfully staged, the lighting is on point and makes it truly feel special, while the confusing narrative still manages to be emotional. Right from the opening song I was grabbed by it (the soundtrack is fantastic). You honestly can't help but WANT to be poetic when you're talking about it.
Rated 02 May 2013
ryan_luedersRyan Lueders
Rated 27 Feb 2014
85
73rd
I'll never look at bacon the same again. Upstream Color is not going to be a movie for everybody. If you enjoy a surreal experience and very nice sound effects (which really remind me of David Lynch's films), you will likely enjoy this movie too...
Rated 27 Feb 2014
ratedarghratedargh
Rated 28 Apr 2013
80
65th
Fascinating. It certainly warrants more than one watch. It's worth it once for the visual style, alone. The narrative isn't really convoluted, it just avoids unnecessary exposition; or more accurately, almost all exposition. It's a film that defies a rating. That 80 over there? Darts on a dartboard. It is difficult to attach to the disaffected personalities, but the film, and by extension Carruth, doesn't seem interested in exploring the depths of human emotion so it's more stripped away.
Rated 28 Apr 2013
zmoatszmoats
Rated 12 Apr 2016
74
43rd
After the first 30 minutes of this film, I felt a shift occur inside me - one that ultimately kept me on the precipice of complete breakdown throughout the film. However, I spent the rest of the movie trying to orient myself with what I was watching. I could not get a grasp on it. I knew that this film was stirring something inside me though, and for that reason, I want to return to it.
Rated 12 Apr 2016
m3tanm3tan
Rated 14 May 2014
40
30th
I fancy myself a film buff with discriminating taste. I'm also a huge science fiction fan. Then along comes a film like Upstream Color that makes me think I have banal taste after all. I guess I just hate experimental films because my PSI said I should have loved this one. I was bored to tears and kept falling asleep.
Rated 14 May 2014
uksubsUKSubs
Rated 31 Dec 2013
99
99th
One of the few films that shows the world in the same way I view it. An amazing story about the worlds of broken people, which never feels false or forced, deftly intermixed with a secondary plot.
Rated 31 Dec 2013
dougiedDougieD
Rated 26 Apr 2013
90
81st
Shane Carruth's followup to the 2004 sci-fi film "Primer" is captivating from the get-go, with a plot and film-making that is unlike anything I've seen in cinema. Abstract in the same way as recent Malick films, but with a dense plot that is followable even if it oftentimes makes no sense. To try to explain the plot is meaningless, as it is the journey that is the point. Amy Seimetz gives a tour-de-force performance and Carruth's achievements in multiple capacities is stunning.
Rated 26 Apr 2013
detoxDetox
Rated 06 Sep 2020
42
16th
Not for me, mates. This movie was made up out of all the elements I hate about clishé indie movies. Jump cuts all the time, meaningful stares into the distance, mumbling half full sentences and a horrible ambient-piano-soundtrack. Everything's so full of itself here, I rolled my eyes every 15 minutes. The worst thing though is Carruth himself. What a puppet as an actor. But hey, love and life. LOVE AND LIFE!
Rated 06 Sep 2020
snazzSnazz
Rated 23 May 2013
85
93rd
After a second viewing, it's time for me to rate this. A second watch is not needed, but definitely doesn't hurt. I'm glad Carruth is finally back. I find his movies more interesting, well crafted and different than most films. With Upstream he does something else than Primer, but in the way it's shot and edited, in the care for details, his style is very recognizable. The first half is nothing like anything I've seen before. Unbelievable. The ending I don't fully get. Still it's a great film.
Rated 23 May 2013
natebarriosnatebarrios
Rated 25 Jun 2013
70
58th
1st time: "what." 2nd time: "whoa okay."
Rated 25 Jun 2013
lisa_iilisa-
Rated 10 Feb 2014
5
70th
an audacious and highly abstract experiment that attempts to represent human lives, or life itself, or even the entirety of the material universe as some interconnected conglomerate pulsating with emotion and desire. well, yeah. i dunno how successful it is, or whether its elusive goal even makes sense, as the characters seemed to be one step away from spitting phrases such as 'life force', 'chakra', and 'zero point energy'. whatever the case, it's nice to see something original. hypnotic too.
Rated 10 Feb 2014
axleblazeaxleblaze
Rated 26 Jan 2013
95
92nd
A very challenging and sometimes silly movie but holy shit it's just so god damned beautiful
Rated 26 Jan 2013
deherazadedeherazade
Rated 16 Aug 2013
94
90th
Music and repetition are everything here. Take them in and you'll find yourself completely absorbed in the characters and the movie. Beautiful.
Rated 16 Aug 2013
judge_holdenJudge Holden
Rated 05 May 2013
5
69th
I guess Carruth realized that it was probably best to not try and write an actual plot again (lol Primer) and instead focus on using Malick-like imagery to tell his story. It's an approach that lends itself well to the ethereal mood. While the ridiculousness of it all sometimes spoils things, it's definitely a marked improvement over his previous clusterfuck of a film. In some ways, it's actually quite beautiful.
Rated 05 May 2013
demorestDemorest
Rated 22 Apr 2013
5
94th
Wonderfully somatic treatise on love, deconstruction of the individual, rhizomes, and piggies.
Rated 22 Apr 2013
pineapplepineapple
Rated 16 Jul 2014
80
69th
Watching this movie is a sensory experience like none other. Instead of presenting information explicitly to the viewer, you're given gorgeous images and sounds that convey emotions first, plot second. But I think it does so to a fault. Extra points, though, for its being so unprecedented and unique.
Rated 16 Jul 2014
kojilessKojiless
Rated 15 Nov 2014
84
88th
If I had a hot dog for every time my brain was taken over by an ageless organism, my first name would be spelled O-s-c-a-r.
Rated 15 Nov 2014
caimancaiman
Rated 20 May 2013
91
94th
I can imagine how being "unprepared" for this movie may leave a bad taste in one's mouth. Fortunately, I had a good idea what I was in for, and thus was in pretty tight symphony with the film. Not only is the premise startlingly unique, but the film has an emotional depth that surprised me. This is a film that forces you to WANT to understand it, on both a technical level and a "what's it all mean?" level. It's also visually gorgeous. A great experience.
Rated 20 May 2013
jakeaestheteJakeAesthete
Rated 20 May 2013
90
90th
I feel like i'm going to have to watch this at least a few more times before i can even begin to wrap my head around it (and not necessarily even in the same sense as in Primer), but one thing i feel vaguely certain of is that Carruth is probably the bravest and brightest new-ish filmmaker in America and possibly also our nuttiest. The Malick comparisons are quite valid, if Malick was steeped in science fiction rather than Heidegger and Catholicism.
Rated 20 May 2013
lawlaw
Rated 28 Dec 2017
40
23rd
An uninteresting, pretentious slog.
Rated 28 Dec 2017
xacviantxacviant
Rated 28 Apr 2013
88
85th
After doing some reading and seeing it again, it's much clearer what UPSTREAM COLOR is up to; it tells of an organism, passed from humans to pigs to plants and back again, that controls those it has entered--a control which is exploited to the ruin of Kris (Amy Seimetz) and Jeff (Shane Carruth), two damaged souls who come together. Carruth also directed, wrote, composed the amazing score, was the cinematographer, etc.--and crafted a challenging, yet often beautiful and truly fascinating film.
Rated 28 Apr 2013
auhasarderikauhasarderik
Rated 30 Oct 2014
6
40th
Best you can say about this is that it's intriguing. If you're not into coherence, clarity or such prosaic things.
Rated 30 Oct 2014
hajikarimihajikarimi
Rated 19 Jun 2013
60
1st
1042: what the fuck is this shit!
Rated 19 Jun 2013
p_u_l_pP u l p
Rated 12 Dec 2015
76
83rd
Original and hypnotic.
Rated 12 Dec 2015
biancazzurribiancazzurri
Rated 11 Jan 2015
100
95th
Shane Carruth, you're the sickest fucking psycho. This is the most hardcore stuff I have seen.
Rated 11 Jan 2015
karamazovkaramazov.
Rated 22 Feb 2015
67
88th
Beautiful, sensual formalist piece, with the trailerish dream editing of Malick's "The New World," or Korine's "Spring Breakers," and the 'pretend it's a video game' dream logic of the latter. Loses steam with rather tangential and uninteresting plot elements, but a lot of it was next level shit. A unique artistic vision. Need to see "Primer" now.
Rated 22 Feb 2015
sidehackersidehacker
Rated 20 May 2013
85
90th
It's worth watching more than once and not because it's particularly hard to follow (or to read something deeper into it) but because the best moments go by so fast. There's a nice love story somewhere beneath all the science fiction and philosophy. It's not that the characters aren't fleshed out enough (their opaqueness lends to something more spontaneous and beautiful) but instead there's just not ENOUGH of that stuff. Amy Seimetz is a goddess.
Rated 20 May 2013
timmotimmo
Rated 06 Jan 2014
95
88th
Imaginative and perfectly put-together film with extremely creative visuals and a deep and fantastic story.
Rated 06 Jan 2014
abunchofcatsABUNCHOFCATS
Rated 05 Sep 2013
90
85th
Carruth's followup to Primer is not as inscrutable as Primer was but every bit as high concept. Carruth takes his craft a step further crafting an intentionally bizarre, deliberately paced film.
Rated 05 Sep 2013
lepraLepra
Rated 31 May 2013
80
90th
Beautifully made film. You just need a little bit of patience until you are able to piece together the story. The soundtrack is awesome as well.
Rated 31 May 2013
sproostsproost
Rated 10 Jan 2024
50
27th
I gave it a try but it lacks a coherent narrative for me, it oozes "art film" and it's insufferable. Maybe one day..
Rated 10 Jan 2024
maakalmaakal
Rated 29 Jan 2014
80
75th
Bizarre and utterly captivating, this is the most original movie I've seen in a very long time.
Rated 29 Jan 2014
oretyo_rety
Rated 09 Nov 2014
45
13th
Wait a minute. Science-fiction? To call it mislabeling would be one kind of an understatement. A nihilistic wanna-be mindfuck. There you go with an adequate tag. If lacking a proper structure, plot and story is your kind of fix you'd be much better off looking for some Malick's stuff. He beats Carruth in this game on all fronts and he's not a dispiriting nihilist.
Rated 09 Nov 2014
damildamil
Rated 19 May 2013
70
67th
I'm not sure how I felt about it. It has very little plot, and I think I spent too long searching for one. That's one piece of advice I'd give for someone watching this - don't look for the story too much. The visuals and sound design were beautiful. I've rarely seen such a unique understanding of image and audio, actually. I'm not sure I comprehended all of it while watching. It's definitely something I should watch again sometime. I wouldn't recommend it to a lot of people, but it was good.
Rated 19 May 2013
alfa_miAlfa Mi
Rated 05 Apr 2024
54
6th
what is going on?
Rated 05 Apr 2024
jpfergusonJPFerguson
Rated 06 Jun 2020
93
98th
If there is such a thing as posthumanist cinema then this is it. The portrayal of the entanglement of human, pig and orchid as vectors for the parasite is startling for the human viewer (the intended audience) as homo sapiens are well and truly decentred from the story of the meaning of all of this (life that is, as information and replication etc.). This makes for an ontologically challenging and potentially upsetting film. The score is suitably unsettling.
Rated 06 Jun 2020
yesistastyyesistasty
Rated 09 Jun 2013
91
72nd
The editing here is wonderful, the element which elevates all else.
Rated 09 Jun 2013
isitfallacyisitfallacy
Rated 21 Jan 2021
70
61st
I cannot make up my mind about this one. It was captivating, start to finish. Great visuals, great performances, great score. But I couldn't figure out a lot of what was going on. I read an explanation afterwards, and am genuinely curious if others figured it out during a first watch... Their experiences felt very real, which was great. I thought it was them coping with past trauma, and it made sense. And then it turned out that there's the whole sci-fi bit. Perhaps I missed something obvious.
Rated 21 Jan 2021
glumpy99glumpy_99
Rated 01 Jul 2022
65
28th
Obtuse, impenetrable existential meditation provides much to appreciate in the calming, hypnotic mood, and performers who handle themselves well under the trying circumstances. There does come a point when Carruth’s obscure and elliptical screenplay becomes unnecessarily so; a suspicious mind might think he is withholding information deliberately to frustrate his audience, all the better that they can’t pick any holes in his screenplay. Memorable and worthy of a rewatch.
Rated 01 Jul 2022
rttntomatoesrttntomatoes
Rated 22 Dec 2013
85
65th
As technically brilliant as it is narratively abstract, Upstream Color represents experimental American cinema at its finest -- and reaffirms Shane Carruth as a talent to watch.
Rated 22 Dec 2013
fredericg54frederic_g54
Rated 10 Jun 2023
6
34th
(2nd viewing) With Upstream Color, Carruth follows up a puzzling time travel plot with a somewhat more accessible humane narrative, at least when scrutinized from a surface level. Alas, further story details are kept deliberately cryptic and puzzling, never allowing said story to rise above its "two people piecing their broken lives back together" foundation. Carruth is an excellent editor, composer and visual storyteller but lacks in the areas such as writing and directing that matter most.
Rated 10 Jun 2023
rokkobokkorokkobokko
Rated 26 Aug 2015
90
98th
I can't say I entirely understood it, and I'm not sure I want to. It's beautifully abstract and vague, and being free to interpret it's ideas and themes without being nailed down by concrete language makes it all the more enjoyable. After Primer and Upstream Color, whatever Shane Carruth directs next is a must see in my book.
Rated 26 Aug 2015
dwyerdwyer
Rated 12 Feb 2014
37
3rd
The movie is cold and emotionless, much to its detriment. Many of the central characters aren't even given names, and nobody seems connected to anyone else except by the elements of this plot, whose elements themselves feel connected to nothing until just about the very end. I really disliked this movie, but admit that it probably doesn't suck as badly as my personal response might indicate.
Rated 12 Feb 2014
wetwillieswetwillies
Rated 21 Feb 2014
85
59th
I have literally no idea what the hell happened in this, but I'd be lying if I said it was not beautiful.
Rated 21 Feb 2014
coinquatroCoinQuatro
Rated 10 May 2021
30
19th
Not a single moment here that rings true. To the contrary, this film oozes dishonesty. Impressive con job, considering its reputation among cinephiles.
Rated 10 May 2021
hellboy76hellboy76
Rated 07 Dec 2013
72
86th
Wut
Rated 07 Dec 2013
shalevshalev
Rated 30 May 2014
70
13th
It was too incoherent for me. I really can't say where were they going with this..
Rated 30 May 2014
kavuKavu
Rated 28 May 2013
88
90th
Simply mesmerizing, but far from simple. Stunning sounds and visuals and the story, I guess there is one.
Rated 28 May 2013
lauftLäuft.
Rated 12 May 2013
68
35th
Beautifully shot, but somehow didn t really got me too much involved. Maybe i need to rewatch it. I don t know.
Rated 12 May 2013
aqyAqy_
Rated 07 Jan 2017
7
36th
Mostly incomprehensible, but well-shot and scored. Decent performance from Amy Seimetz.
Rated 07 Jan 2017
nepetaNepeta
Rated 15 Apr 2015
80
68th
Similar in some regards to some of the more recent Malick films: lots of memory-like editing, very tactile (all the hands running over things: I really love this) yet also kind of ethereal in some regards. Very pretty. Some of the more overtly plot-focused sections of the film felt a tiny bit awkward and disconnected, as did the sound-sampling sections. Captured the emotions of the interactions of two broken, lost people connecting without over-intellectualising it.
Rated 15 Apr 2015
addsAdds
Rated 19 Nov 2019
20
3rd
Highfalutin artsy fartsy nonsense
Rated 19 Nov 2019
hotsakehotsake
Rated 23 May 2023
60
51st
None of the interesting ideas and parts of the story were explored.
Rated 23 May 2023
astrakhanastrakhan
Rated 10 Oct 2013
80
74th
Carruth's meandering, mindbending narrative was enough to keep my interest up, while the abstract and ethereal photography, sound and editing were a welcome part of a challenging but complementary aesthetic. My main gripe was with the pacing, too slow and abstract in the last third (the swimming scenes especially went on far too long). An incredibly original and creative piece of work, pushing boundaries and exploring the medium of film. 90 minutes would have been about perfect.
Rated 10 Oct 2013
desertpunkDesertPunk
Rated 28 Jun 2013
93
98th
There are no words for this movie. Extraordinarily heady and abstract, mysterious, and endlessly intriguing. Carruth also has an amazing sense of style with his cinematography, and seems to have talent in every area he attempts. It would be wise to watch his career from here on out, as he's proven himself to be one of the most imaginative and unique filmmakers working today.
Rated 28 Jun 2013
orchardbluesorchardblues
Rated 07 May 2013
99
75th
Beautiful work of art. Shane Carruth has raised the bar for himself as a true film making artist.
Rated 07 May 2013
derekstarDerekstar
Rated 21 Jun 2013
80
68th
See: Terrance Malick.
Rated 21 Jun 2013
darknightsDarkNights
Rated 17 May 2023
75
78th
Un film que j'ai dévoré comme un médicament pour le stress. C'est fascinant sans avoir besoin de l'être vraiment. Très étrange, faut se lancer pour comprendre.
Rated 17 May 2023
yoohooyoohoo
Rated 22 Aug 2014
50
9th
So strange.
Rated 22 Aug 2014
peribokuperiboku
Rated 04 Mar 2014
90
94th
it's about inner instincts and senses. wonderful journey
Rated 04 Mar 2014
carsonwidCarsonWid
Rated 18 May 2014
74
71st
The best compliment I can give this movie is that it kept me thinking for hours and days after the credits finished.
Rated 18 May 2014
lumenlumen
Rated 01 Jun 2014
5
21st
A movie with almost no narrative needs to be at least visually interesting. The score is especially bad: dull and distracting.
Rated 01 Jun 2014
djrossdjross
Rated 01 Aug 2013
50
44th
Score based on partial viewing: walked out after half to three quarters of an hour due to low volume. Wasn't loving it. Make of that what you will.
Rated 01 Aug 2013
parasiteParasite
Rated 28 Oct 2018
40
39th
Too little of a plot, too many holes in it, and too ham-fisted cinematography for this to be compensated with the visuals. But the lame storytelling makes a world of difference, I guess, exactly as it was with Primer.
Rated 28 Oct 2018
vannvicenteVannVicente
Rated 03 Jun 2013
90
62nd
A brilliant, and beautiful film.
Rated 03 Jun 2013
mattorama12mattorama12
Rated 06 Jul 2013
61
36th
A film that begs to be watched more than once...this rating and review will serve as merely a placeholder until my next viewing.
Rated 06 Jul 2013

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