I actually just made an account so that I could give this movie some love. It is awesome. Stressful and uncomfortable as hell, but if you're down for some seriously artsy endurance-cinema, this one's for you.
I could hardly tell you what the plot is, but it's never boring. It's slow as hell, but constantly surprising. Alverson "directs" and manipulates the viewer as much as the actors, leading us one way and changing lanes. It requires a willingness to engage with it, because it doesn't answer your questions or even suggest that there is an answer. The cliché "it's the journey, not the destination" definitely applies.
It's entertaining as hell. It crawls, sometimes unbearably, but never stops moving. Every detail feels meticulous, but nothing seems to really matter.
It's beautifully shot. Nobody seems to be mentioning that. If nothing else, it looks great. It takes place in the desert and manages to be slimy and claustrophobically sterile at the same time. Where most movies make the desert seem vast, this makes it feel like a sandbox.
It's as hopeless as The Comedy, but much more empathetic, so you actually care how it ends. And it ends (relatively) big! I couldn't tell you the ending to most of the movies I've seen this year, but this one is going to stick with me.
8/10 (probably not going to watch it again, though)
I could hardly tell you what the plot is, but it's never boring. It's slow as hell, but constantly surprising. Alverson "directs" and manipulates the viewer as much as the actors, leading us one way and changing lanes. It requires a willingness to engage with it, because it doesn't answer your questions or even suggest that there is an answer. The cliché "it's the journey, not the destination" definitely applies.
It's entertaining as hell. It crawls, sometimes unbearably, but never stops moving. Every detail feels meticulous, but nothing seems to really matter.
It's beautifully shot. Nobody seems to be mentioning that. If nothing else, it looks great. It takes place in the desert and manages to be slimy and claustrophobically sterile at the same time. Where most movies make the desert seem vast, this makes it feel like a sandbox.
It's as hopeless as The Comedy, but much more empathetic, so you actually care how it ends. And it ends (relatively) big! I couldn't tell you the ending to most of the movies I've seen this year, but this one is going to stick with me.
8/10 (probably not going to watch it again, though)