An Elephant Sitting Still

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ryan p Everyone Needs an Editor Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review isla s This is very much a film about despair - about living in dark, mundane circumstances and you could say there's an element of 'keeping calm and carrying on', or whatever the Chinese equivalent of that motto is. Of course, the irony of the current situation with coronavirus (this review dates from March 2020) came to mind but this is different. I suppose you could argue there's an element of fate about it or inevitability but then people may complain that it's too simplistic to say that. I'll let the viewer come to their own conclusion - in any case, its certainly a thoughtful film, with quite good use of camerawork, to pan around the various characters, show how downtrodden their existence is and it's easy enough to imagine how disheartening it must be for them to be in that place, mentally, physically and emotionally I suppose. The vitriol some people show towards others did seem, on one hand, believable and also, for me it was obviously quite frustrating and saddening, for obvious reasons. It's in this sense that it is certainly a thought-provoking watch. Speaking of camerawork, I did feel there was quite a distinct sort of floaty feel or atmosphere to this film, with the viewer apparently observing the characters from multiple angles, while also glancing around at the surrounding area. Its a thought-provoking, sad (also just to note there is one scene featuring a dog being attacked and we are briefly shown a somewhat bloodied dog afterwards, which could be quite upsetting for some) but a memorable film that's well worth a watch, as long as you know it's not going to be very cheery and perhaps it's not the ideal thing to watch at the moment but otherwise, I would recommend this film, yes. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Dreadfully slow pace. Would be okay of at least something interesting was happening, but the plot is not that engaging. Rated 1.5/5 Stars •  Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 02/06/23 Full Review Audience Member A poetic and sorrowfull vission of the world, but real. One of the best strokes of film genius ever conceived. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/25/23 Full Review Audience Member A good 3 hour and 54 minutes journey. Set in a bleak industrial landscape, the depressing story of the characters and their nihilistic point of view will take you to a roller coaster ride of emotions. For some, this film may be less interesting, but if you have the patience and appreciation for slow cinema, please watch this if you have the chance. The film's ending is one of the prettiest I've seen. Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/23/23 Full Review dave d Hypnotizing and delicate 'An Elephant Sitting Still' is an ambitious Chinese film written, directed and edited by Hu Bo. It's the first and last film of the novelist-turned-director who offed himself days after completing his work on the film. This is a grim look at life and it doesn't have any pick-me-up qualities. It's the worst form of humans on screen and that's a horrible point of view. Add that it's nearly four hours, and one would expect this to be a slog, but it just wasn't. I can't explain it other than to say I was entranced. I'm not sure if i was rubbernecking, but the subtle performances mixed with the visuals and the music worked well enough for my taste. This won't be for everyone, but don't be surprised if two hours fly by. Of course, at that point the movie is just over halfway complete. Final Score: 7.2/10 Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews

An Elephant Sitting Still

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