SILENT LIGHT [d. Carlos Reygadas]

[Noisotika]

Has anyone here seen this? I walked out of it. I was just so bored. I left after the first sex scene [assuming there were others]. Considering the way it was made, I am surprised that I didn't enjoy it: Dialogue is minimal, the shots are long, the movement is slow, and the look and sound of the locations is just as important - okay, it's totally more important, unfortunately - than the actions & words of the characters/actors. The cinematography is beautiful and colorful but at the same time there is a... realistic quality to it.

But I never found the film transporting. Maybe I should have sat in the middle of the theater instead of on the left side. Maybe I should have sat where I could really look up at the screen. Maybe my glasses needed to be cleaned up a little more. I don't know. But the beauty of the film definitely didn't make up for what it lacked: interesting characters/performances, interesting events...

[dreamdead]

That sounds apropos. I've only seen Reygadas' Battle in Heaven, which is largely decried around these parts. In terms of a study of how the camera can elicit a subjective viewpoint, Reygadas achieves some affecting scenes. There's three or four positively marvelous scenes there. One in which the male lead looks out into the land below, and there's a few where the camera stumbles along to coincide with the male lead's growing pathologies.

That said, his films also seem to intentionally provoke without real purpose and thus often feel exploitative. Perhaps, as the critics feel, that trend has finally been usurped here. Perhaps it's just about a more palatable and easier to consume subject. Not sure, though this film does interest me whenever it gets a wider release (aka dvd release).

[Noisotika]

I saw a one-night screening at the Miami Film Festival. The cinematographer was in attendance. Did I say before that I felt really bad about walking out? I had to force myself out.

I hope you have a big screen TV.