The Five Obstructions

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Mason M I'm not usually the biggest fan of documentaries, but this is probably the best one I've ever seen. Von Trier was hilarious in this and I loved the dynamic between the two characters. It was also very interesting seeing how Leth made his films and how he worked the obstructions, with his film segments being some of the best parts of the whole movie. It's far from von Trier's best, but it's still an amazing film. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/20/25 Full Review David F Lars von Trier is a mischievous joker in this film where he has a documentary filmmaker remake an old film with a variety of modifications and handicaps. I wasn’t sure where it was going, but it did culminate in a ruminative and philosophical climax with food for thought. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 05/01/24 Full Review Martin F A fascinating movie between documentary, anthology and remake. It's an exercise of style for director Leth. The Five Obstructions presents creativity and art through challenges. Lars Von Trier is a perfect choice for the judge, his borderline sadism forces Leth to outdo himself, even if sometimes it can be a little harsh to assist as a viewer. Each short films are pretty interesting, they are well-done, pretentious but never boring. One of them, it's particularly dark and maybe the most memorable part of the whole movie. I wish to see more of it, between different directors. It's fascinating to see how a creative mind works under limits and pressures and still come out with art and style. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 07/12/23 Full Review Audience Member The Five Obstructions is perfectly fine as a documentary. As with anything that has aspirations you will find those on either side that love or hate it. This is not a film that deserves such strong reactions. It is more like: let us try this challenge for fun and see if it comes out interesting. The Five Obstructions does come off as mildly interesting, especially for those who are interested in the creative process. It is not as good as a film as Hearts of Darkness but rather is at about the level of Lost in La Mancha. Really, it's fine. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/15/23 Full Review Audience Member One of the most unusual films I've ever seen. Lars von Trier challenges Jørgen Leth to create Leth's short film under five obstructions. The two film makers communicated through the making of the films. It's not the documentaries that you see every day. Once again, Lars von Trier amazed me with his amazing creativity. I am in awe. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/01/23 Full Review Audience Member The Five Obstructions as sought after by Lars von Trier to be placed on Leth's "The Perfect Human" explores several different cinematic technicalities in filmmaking, including the ethics of one's work and the theoretical reinterpretation of it. It's also very nice to see the relationship between the two filmmakers play off on screen. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/08/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Five Obstructions

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