Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives

[lovejuice]

a friend of mine just watched a rough cut. according to him, "it's amazing; you can't ever tell what's going to happen next."

[KK2.0]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1588895/

I've never watched an Apichatpong film but i've been curious about Tropical Malady for a while.

since it's a 2011 release, i believe Uncle Boonmee will be at festivals this year, right?

[Stay Puft]

There have been a bunch of production photos posted on the kick the machine website over the last few months. Very excited to see this one.

The short, A Letter to Uncle Boonmee, is very good.

[lovejuice]

trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jk-EoUb0nvg)

[Boner M]

Looks less playful than I'd expected, but still amazing. June 6th can't get here soon enough...

[baby doll]

Syndromes and a Century seemed like an artistic dead-end to me, so I hope he branches out and tries something different this time. Then again, it was voted the best film of the last decade, so what do I know?

[KK2.0]

Buzz at Cannes on this film is tremendous, i'd place my bets on it, competition sounds weak so far. Do you guys think the political tension in Bangkok will influence the jury?

Mike D'angelo at twitter: "Guys, I'm gonna need some time (and a 2nd viewing) to decide whether UNCLE BOONMEE is just sort of awesome or totally mindblowingly awesome."

i love this pic, eerie as hell

http://s3.amazonaws.com/auteurs_production/post_images/281/cannesboonmee718.jpg?127445498 3


edit: just discovered the cannes thread :lol:

[Boner M]

Weirdly enough, I had no reaction to this until about an hour after viewing, when the emotional undercurrents crept up on me. I think the mindset I was in at the time made me take the reincarnation themes too literally. The final scenes are really, really haunting, and all the stuff with the monkey spirits is great too. Will let it settle.

Also, I know the Cannes comp was weak this year and Tim Burton probably voted for the 'talking catfish movie' by default, but this is still a really outre choice for the Palm & reports of the film's accessibility are grossly overstated. Audience I saw it with obv. wasn't feeling it.

[lovejuice]

It doesn't impress me as much as his other work. The movie is less powerful once you finish it. Joe seems to perfectize his craft, so much so that the result is predictable within the framework he has established. That he recycles a few scenes, intentionally, doesn't help either. I can always expect one godawesome scene from his movie; nothing here lives up to that standard.

On the other hand, I consider it his most accessible work. The narrative line is quite clear.

I don't find anything extraordinary about the catfish scene. It's much talked upon here in Thailand due to the political commentary. That scene however is cut. What's left is a nice mythological play, but anyone who is familiar with Joe's work shouldn't be too excited.

I agree with one Thai pundit who says that it's a "brainier" Joe's as opposed to a "heartfelt" one. The movie is rich with symbolism. Not too surprised considered the political and intellectual state he's in.

Oh, and if it counts, I give it an obligatory yay. Second viewing might improve that.

[Boner M]

Wait, which scenes does he recycle? I agree that the film is not quite the breakthrough for Joe that I was hoping for (absent bifurcation structure aside), but it's still pretty magical overall, and I'm dying to see it again. I wrote a brief review for by blog below.

[lovejuice]

Wait, which scenes does he recycle? I agree that the film is not quite the breakthrough for Joe that I was hoping for (absent bifurcation structure aside), but it's still pretty magical overall, and I'm dying to see it again. I wrote a brief review for by blog below.
It's not so much a recycle as doing a compilation to his best. For example, Tong, the monk in Syndrome, plays another monk in another supposedly controversial scene. Talking monkey already presents in Tropical Malady. The karaoke scene links back to that movie as well. The shot from the car at the beginning is motivated by Blissfully Yours, so is the princess floating on the pool.

All these are intentional of course, considered the reincarnated theme of the movie. Speaking of which, reincarnation idea is supposedly the backbone of Syndrome.

[StanleyK]

While I really liked this, I expected some more, you know... past-life recalling. I can't help but feel a bit disappointed. I hope reflection and analysis can bring this to 'truly great' status, but for now, it didn't leave the exceedingly strong first impression that Syndromes and a Century did.

[Sxottlan]

While I really liked this, I expected some more, you know... past-life recalling.

Agreed. Saw it tonight at the museum. I liked it.

The first time we see the monkey ghost was truly unsettling and even more so when he just casually comes up the stairs.

[Ezee E]

http://www.awardsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Uncle-Boonmee-lg.jpg

[ledfloyd]

i like that poster more than the film.

love chris ware.

[B-side]

i like that poster more than the film.

Yes.

[Boner M]

I like that poster more than most films.

[Derek]

I like that poster more than most MatchCut posters.

[Watashi]

I like that poster more than Derek.

[Sxottlan]

http://www.awardsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Uncle-Boonmee-lg.jpg

For some reason the center of the poster made me think of this:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Cremster_main_logo.jpg

[[ETM]]

I really don't like that design. The typography is inexcusably crappy.

[Boner M]

Watched the Blu-Ray tonight with the sound on full blast (and a few beers), which proved far more conducive to appreciating the dreamlike qualities than in the packed theatre - ie, it's easier to fall into the film's trance without the trickling of walk-out silhouettes decorating the periphery of my vision. I still prefer the formalised narrative bi-furcation and echoing structure of his prior three films to the sketchbook feel of this one, but there's room in cinema for sketchbook films, and that form lends itself well to the reverie qualities of this one.

Also appreciated the film a little more after watching the deleted scenes (nearly 30 mins of 'em!), which reveal how careful AW is with the film's music-like rhythms, as well as holding back from explicating things too much. For instance, one of them provides context for the princess/catfish scene; it's narrated by Boonmee who states that the princess was one of his past lives. There's also another teary monologue from his wife after his death that spells out way too much of the emotion that's wisely left as a tangible undercurrent throughout the film.

The only scene that I kinda regret didn't make the cut is one almost 2001/GASPARVISION™-like in its sensory assault; right after Boonmee utters his last words, the camera does a little acrobatic tour of the cave while a strobe-/lightning effect flashes incessantly, before settling down as the camera finally settles on a shot of a glowing, plutonium-like boulder. It's a completely baffling moment, and I wouldn't be surprised if AW cut it to prevent seizures, but I don't think it'd feel too out of place. and frankly, my only real complaint about the film is that its sedateness starts to feel like a convention after a while: a moment like this one could've shaken it up to fascinating effect.

[Ivan Drago]

This is playing in an arthouse theater near where I live in Nashville this weekend only. I'm really interested in it from what MC has said about it, but do you guys think I'll like it?

[Dukefrukem]

This is playing in an arthouse theater near where I live in Nashville this weekend only. I'm really interested in it from what MC has said about it, but do you guys think I'll like it?

I bet you will like it. It was definitely something I enjoyed- I had no exceptions going in, and didn't even know this thread existed. I got it off this list (http://www.icheckmovies.com/list/cannes+film+festival+-+palme+dor), did a quick google, saw the image posted earlier in this thread, and decided to watch it.

[Ivan Drago]

I bet you will like it. It was definitely something I enjoyed- I had no exceptions going in, and didn't even know this thread existed. I got it off this list (http://www.icheckmovies.com/list/cannes+film+festival+-+palme+dor), did a quick google, saw the image posted earlier in this thread, and decided to watch it.

Yup, just got back from it and liked it. The moments after the funeral, when the monk was introduced, felt like the start of another story and threw me out of the trance I was in for most of the film. Despite that, it's a wonderful visceral experience that I'm glad to have seen, especially in theaters.

EDIT: Chris Ware designed the poster? No wonder it's awesome.

[Mysterious Dude]

There's a scene in this movie where the characters are walking through a cave. When they find what they're looking for, the first thing I thought of was that sketch on Conan O'Brien where Frankenstein would "waste a minute of our time" by walking through the studio with the camera behind him and eventually finding something pointless like a sandwich. Except this was more like ten minutes.

That is all.

[Boner M]

That is all.
Conclusion: You're bad at watching films.

[Spinal]

Also appreciated the film a little more after watching the deleted scenes (nearly 30 mins of 'em!), which reveal how careful AW is with the film's music-like rhythms, as well as holding back from explicating things too much. For instance, one of them provides context for the princess/catfish scene; it's narrated by Boonmee who states that the princess was one of his past lives.

Oh man, I thought his past life was as the catfish. This is disappointing to me because that was one of the few scenes in the film I thought I understood.

[Boner M]

Oh man, I thought his past life was as the catfish. This is disappointing to me because that was one of the few scenes in the film I thought I understood.
Well obviously leaving out the exposition accomodates that reading. I don't think Apichatpong is much interested in concrete meaning.

[StanleyK]

Even better a second time. It's amazing how Weerasethakul makes his character feel so alive and fully rounded despite spending relatively little time developing them. I credit his wonderful ability for creating moods with the soundtrack and environments- the incessant chirping crickets and birds in the forest, the low rumbling sound in the mysterious cave- which helps one feel with the characters. My earlier complaint about not enough past-life-recalling makes no sense. I was probably in a too literal mindset. Joe's movies are mostly about the experience, and Uncle Boonmee is an entrancing, alternatingly mellow and gripping, and never less than beautiful experience.