I went to the Q&A last night in London. It's nothing like Irreversible and, though I tried hard not to compare the two, found it difficult at first.
I have to say I ended up disliking the first 90 mins or so of the film for various reasons until it really go into its stride. There's a lot to take away and it is a beautiful film - very, very well shot indeed.
Irreversible [and I Stand Alone] were both incredible and though I wouldn't quite give this the same accolade it is a very good film and it needs another viewing before my view on it is cemented.
As I was saying to my girlfriend last night, I think for many of us the days of "controversial cinema" are over. We don't care, or even want, to be shocked anymore. Sure, this film is choc-full of sex but that isn't controversial, it's beautiful. Some people in the audience got embarrassed and laughed, but I kind of felt sorry for them. Noe shoots what he wants to, I don't think the 'shock factor' is an issue or consideration anymore. Even A Serbian Film came across as tired and uninteresting in parts, too try-hard. These days I want to watch films with dark subject matter - well, ANY subject matter - as long as they're very, very well done. They don't have to "raise the bar". 'Controversial' is another's reading of films which address sex and violence, it's not mine.
My favourite part of the Q&A was when someone said to Noe, "your films have been described as an assault on the senses. What do you think about that?" To which he answered, "an assault? You can't get attacked by a film".
EDIT and minor spoiler: one of the most interesting parts of the film was the slow flashback of Oscar's life as a concept. If this is something that happens to us all at death, we have the power to change how it looks. It's not just like you're handed a video of your life at the end and told "here you go, this is how it was, you were a victim of each circumstance". We actually have the ability to alter that now. What we see in that playback. Yes, it's an obvious point, but the idea of changing my vision of life AFTER death is a sobering one, to say the least.
I have to say I ended up disliking the first 90 mins or so of the film for various reasons until it really go into its stride. There's a lot to take away and it is a beautiful film - very, very well shot indeed.
Irreversible [and I Stand Alone] were both incredible and though I wouldn't quite give this the same accolade it is a very good film and it needs another viewing before my view on it is cemented.
As I was saying to my girlfriend last night, I think for many of us the days of "controversial cinema" are over. We don't care, or even want, to be shocked anymore. Sure, this film is choc-full of sex but that isn't controversial, it's beautiful. Some people in the audience got embarrassed and laughed, but I kind of felt sorry for them. Noe shoots what he wants to, I don't think the 'shock factor' is an issue or consideration anymore. Even A Serbian Film came across as tired and uninteresting in parts, too try-hard. These days I want to watch films with dark subject matter - well, ANY subject matter - as long as they're very, very well done. They don't have to "raise the bar". 'Controversial' is another's reading of films which address sex and violence, it's not mine.
My favourite part of the Q&A was when someone said to Noe, "your films have been described as an assault on the senses. What do you think about that?" To which he answered, "an assault? You can't get attacked by a film".
EDIT and minor spoiler: one of the most interesting parts of the film was the slow flashback of Oscar's life as a concept. If this is something that happens to us all at death, we have the power to change how it looks. It's not just like you're handed a video of your life at the end and told "here you go, this is how it was, you were a victim of each circumstance". We actually have the ability to alter that now. What we see in that playback. Yes, it's an obvious point, but the idea of changing my vision of life AFTER death is a sobering one, to say the least.
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