Comments on: Cannes Review: Lisandro Alonso’s Beautiful But Belabored ‘Jauja’ Starring Viggo Mortensen

By: Pablo Podhorzer

Pablo Podhorzer — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:27:55 +0000

I saw some 30 minutes of this, because the chair was not good enough for sleeping. Not intellectual and certainly not cinema. As a series of stills, maybe.

By: Paul

Paul — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:27:55 +0000

Comparing two directors or artists at the expense of one (in this case Alonso with Tarkovsky, resulting in Alonso's dismissal), is like inviting death. It represents the death of sensibility as well as true appreciation. This way of thinking (or deficiency of it) has become such a dishonest part of the critical trade, it also suggests a true refusal to engage with the work at hand — on it own terms — and not what it should have or could have been. (Also included is the continued reliance on the over-used cliche about films experienced as if watching paint dry, which itself says a lot about the poverty of assessment.)

We need to find another way to talk about cinema -â and meet it directly -â without referencing other films or artists. Otherwise, how can we be fair to the work at hand?

By: jios

jios — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:27:55 +0000

Alonso is good but he is no Sokurov. His imagery isn't strong enough to sustain a 2 hour film.

Also, we need less elitism and more dialogue. it is up to lovers of ultra slow image based cinema to explain without being patronising.

By: Victor Morton

Victor Morton — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:27:55 +0000

We aren't really sure what we think of this film, on account of our not having seen it because the Cannes Festival didn't invite us. But nevertheless, we think the rhetorical voice adopted to be very off-putting to our sensibilities.

— Everyone

By: fry

fry — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:27:55 +0000

How can you not like Los Muertos? That's one of the best Joseph Conrad-like voyage movies I've seen. Oh well, perhaps the running time on this one makes the difference (compared to the 80-minute average of his last previous films).

By: john

john — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:27:55 +0000

Very disappointed of Indiewire, you guys are narrow minded! insisting on movies being only in the cinematic language you feel at home with. you cant appreciate something that is not your americanized MacDonald POV . I havent seen this one yet but truly love Alonsos previous films. i dont know why you keep saying that nothing happens in his films! a lot does! just in different subtleties , but obviously you taste buds are too crass to taste these. something you are not used too! very disappointing!

By: Genii with the light brown hair

Genii with the light brown hair — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:27:55 +0000

At tonight's screening the room was silent except for the wooden delivery on lines read in both Spanish and Danish and occasional tinny sound effects. The characters seemed boxed into that square aspect ratio which had a vintage look (with rounded corners) but minimized the natural beauty which often looked flat because of too much lighting.

It was a deadly bore, many lines were laughable but I was the only one laughing—hoping to set an example for others.

Finally, after an hour I couldn't understand why more people were not walking out of the packed Bazin but I decided to depart. As I looked over the faces lit by the image coming off the screen I understood why few were leaving—practically everyone I saw was asleep. In Cannes you have to get it when you can.