World/Independent Cinema Discussion Thread • Page 8

Caught The Wild Pear Tree and Happy as Lazzaro today. The Wild Pear Tree definitely feels like minor Ceylan, especially when contrasted with works like Climates and Winter Sleep. It’s the first one of his films where I really felt the length of it. Doesn’t help that most of the characters are pretty unsympathetic, it takes a lot to spend 3hrs with these people.

Happy as Lazzaro on the other hand is one of the best films of 2018. It’s beautiful and sensitive with a simmering anger towards the abusive, oppressive upper class. The 16mm photography captures the rural and urban locations with such beauty, I’m so glad I got to see it on the big screen. The Wonders has me pretty excited about Rohrwacher and this confirms her as a major talent in the contemporary landscape of world cinema. After this, I’d go as far as calling her the best filmmaker working in Italy right now. See it!

 

You weren’t kidding about Happy as Lazaro, wow

 

Yeah, its an absolute stunner. I sensed I would like it, but I never expect it to impact me the way it did. It feels more impressive the longer I sit on it too. I feel like its not getting seen enough though, which is sad given how readily available it is.

 

Year end lists should help, it’s been in nearly every one I’ve seen. I’m glad I read very little about it, the shift in the second half caught me off guard. And that ending!

Bout to watch Zama

 

watched The Killing of a Sacred Deer last night

it has its flaws but I thought it was overall fucking excellent

 

Zama’s great! I found it a bit challenging (I watched it in a festival setting), but it’s beautiful and ambitious. Curious how it works for you.

 

Have you seen any of his other films? This one is definitely my least favorite. They’re all good-great though.

 

I’ve seen the Lobster and really like it too (although I liked Deer better)

the new one seems pretty wild too

 

You will love Dogtooth, despite what Swae might say

 

Dogtooth is good! I just like Alps more. I think his Greek films are his best, something about the atmosphere of his work got a little lost in translation. I think The Favourite is his best English language film.

 

For some reason I thought you were pretty ambivalent about it, will watch Alps once I’m done 2018 catch up

I’m just waiting on The Favourite, Shoplifters and Suspiria to leak at this point

 

@angrycandy I feel like this thread would be of interest to you

 

lol I actually subscribed like half an hour ago

 

Did you see Cold War? Seems like it would be of interest to you. I didn’t think it was amazing, but the cinematography is stunning.

 

The premise didn’t catch me but it’s on my list

 

Maybe I just wasn’t in the right mood, but compared to the other films I loved these past couple days Zama felt like a bit of a chore. It was interesting but I couldn’t really latch on to it, probably gonna try again in a bit because I’ve seen it placed highly on nearly every end of year list

 

Honestly, I’m not surprised. Not a slight against you, but Martel’s films are really challenging, at least in the context of widely seen/acclaimed world cinema. It took me 3 times to click with La Cienaga and two for The Headless Woman. They’re so purposely vague, it’s hard to latch onto them immediately.

 

Yeah, I have no doubt I will come around but it was starting to feel like a chore which I don’t think any medium should so I decided I’d just revisit with a fresher mind

A close friend is a big fan of Headless Woman and it’s on my computer so I’ll probably watch that before going back

 

Caught Shoplifters this afternoon. It’s so beautiful, tender, and devastating. Kore-eda’s been on an upswing the last couple years after putting out some of his weaker work in the early-mid part of the decade, but I was sure his peak had passed with Still Walking. However, I think this is probably his best film to date.

Still, I can’t fathom awarding this film the Palme d’Or. It’s a fantastic film, but I don’t really think it breaks out of the mound of contemporary world cinema. Especially when you stack it up against other competition films like Happy as Lazzaro or Burning (I think quite a few others In Competition were better two, but they don’t seem so glaringly obvious like those two).

Whatever, great film. Hope people see it (seems likely with Oscar buzz, my screening was pretty busy for a matinee Friday).

 

You don’t have a means for me to watch it do you? Since Like Father, Like Son hit me so hard Shoplifters is my most anticipated by a mile tbh

I also think I’ll like it more than the other contenders you mentioned on no basis other than my own hype

 

Nah, not out there yet. Got released in the city today. UK blu-ray in late March so I wouldn't count on it before then.

 

Holy shit, Shoplifters.

 

I fell for Cold War pretty hard

Also watched Under the Tree which was very over the top but I still really enjoyed it

 

I figured you would. It’s better than I had anticipated (much better than Ida imo). It’s at least one of the most beautifully shot films of last year.

 

If Beale Street Could Talk is playing this week and Shoplifters next week so I’m getting close to having seen everything I anticipated from 2018

Still have to watch Western, God’s Own Country, Lean On Pete, Suspiria and Leave No Trace which are all sittin on my computer