king zazvor

Unbelievably boring. Quickly got tired of the sound attempting to create an atmosphere that the other elements can't carry. The pacing is uniformly and consistently slow, which becomes a problem when it fails to build towards anything truly climactic.

60 _28%

Krisha (2016) - Rated 04 May 2020

I appreciated the cinematography and sound for the first 20 minutes or so, but it becomes repetitive and ultimately the story doesn't go much of anywhere--other than where you would expect--and the emotions at the end don't feel justified because of the excessive discontinuity in the editing.

85 _86%

Dylda (2019) - Rated 04 May 2020

I'm a sucker for the color, but the acting is also great. Feels like it would make a great television series, a la Burning Bush. Sort of reminds me of Christian Petzold's Barbara.

60 _28%

Dawson City: Frozen Time (2016) - Rated 25 Apr 2020

So much interesting content but does a poor job at explaining its purpose. Feels like it needs some narration and a re-edit. Although I was fascinated, I found it difficult to watch more than 30 minutes at a time...but great if you enjoy black and white photography.

95 _97%

Chang jiang tu (2016) - Rated 19 Apr 2020

Would be unfair to evaluate this as you would any other film, as it's in a completely different world. The most beautifully photographed film I've ever seen. I feel like the majority of the reviewers online didn't give themselves a chance to enjoy it before dismissing it is as "dull" or "pretentious" and offering their definitive interpretation of the symbolism.

85 _86%

Mother (2009) - Rated 15 Apr 2020

Feels like a minor Memories of Murder. Much more understated than the other films I've seen by Bong Joon-ho: A very good job at leaving some questions unresolved but still making the film feel complete.

75 _59%

The Virgin Suicides (2000) - Rated 14 Apr 2020

Surprised I kept watching because of how much I hate high school dramas but there's something oddly captivating about it. So much more self-aware than Lost in Translation. Interesting at how understated it is, letting sound and cinematography take control, but that also seems to be the problem as it feels like something is missing, like a social critique or an unexpected complexity from a narrative that originally had it. Never thought about reading the book but might now.

50 _20%

Pulse (2001) - Rated 12 Apr 2020

Some great sequences but really inconsistent. Some thematic connections to Cure and Bright Future but a much weaker film.

70 _45%

Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project (2019) - Rated 11 Apr 2020

The subject is more interesting than the document itself, but I'm skeptical of her project. I was most interested in the television show that she and her husband hosted before they were married, and so I ultimately feel this is more about the neuroses brought on by love than the public good created by a highly eccentric documentary project, which is what seems to be argued at the end.

60 _28%

High Life (2018) - Rated 11 Apr 2020

A unique cinematic experience that is beautifully shot but not very comprehensible. Really only interesting when it reminds me of Tarkovsky for the first 40 minutes, and although it gets more intense after that point, it doesn't lead anywhere. Puts me in a bind because I appreciate the experimentation but I also wish there was greater consistency and coherence.