achevele

the best thing about the movie by far: that shot on the beach, a pensive Ewan Mcgregor in the foreground, and then the heroine barreling at a full sprint towards him from the depths of the background. The second-best thing: when she flips up onto the wall and onto that guy’s neck in that hallway in Barcelona. Beyond that, probably Michael Fassbender. It was more than a little awkward to watch, like Soderbergh kept on forgetting what the point of the movie was. I’m glad Bill Paxton didn’t die. Also, Channing Tatum is actually in every single movie. I checked.

why so many camera angles? Why the grudge against spatial continuity? lots of stuff, lots of talent, lots of Performances; but for a movie that continually emphasizes the ineffability of cinematic brilliance, it demonstrates all too well what something looks like without that spark. The occasional great shot; if only it would hold for more than a fraction of a second. It’s all there (more than is needed, in fact), but something’s not working. My overall impression: what?

Smart, too
intellectual maybe. He knows
what’s up. Not Matisse, not Schiele,
not even Giacometti. Sculpts
like Rodin in heat and with an attitude
problem. Where’s the angel of history?
That’s the one I like, which is tellingly
Benjaminian.

a seriously intense thing of a movie. It is not kidding around, and neither is its eponymous protagoniste, far and away the best thing about the film. expertly cut, done with every thought. a bit like Contagion, everything paced constantly and relentlessly, little tonal distinction made between high tension and low, intentionally. the beginnings and endings stripped from every action, just the dark interiors of everything. Would have been razor-beautiful if the projector hadn’t been so dim. It feels like violence happens, even when it doesn’t. Nonetheless a bit like an extraordinarily done episode of law and order. I would watch that show. but be careful when you see this movie. My dreams were strange last night.