Motovun Film Festival 2008

I’m not entirely sure if the schedule is officially out yet, but heads up to all my fellow film buffs: they’re screening Eisenstein’s "Strike" and Tarkovsky’s "Ivan's Childhood."

They’ve also got that old CinemaScope tech from New York City back in ’76—I can't recall the inventor's name off the top of my head—and since Mija Oremović is picking up that "50 Years" award, there’s a pretty solid chance we'll see "H-8" on the big screen too.

Sweet.

Anyone planning on hitting up Sundance this year??😁

Wait... what happened? The posts about Napa Valley used to be everywhere a few years back. Did interest just dry up, or is everyone too lazy to engage?

Anyway... it’s the tenth anniversary this year, so it should be huge. Anyone actually interested? Have you all bought your tents yet, or are you planning to crash in your cars? Been there before? Come on, people!🙄😛>

I’m thinking about heading out there for a few days... I only managed to swing by for a single day last year, caught two movies, and ended up having a surprisingly great time (well, maybe "surprising" isn't the right word since the vibe in Napa Valley is always so lovely). Does anyone know what the camping situation is like lately? If you've stayed there recently, I'd love to hear your thoughts! 🤷

Arthur Garcia59 said:...plus, if John Doe bags that "50 years" award, there's a massive chance we'll see "H-8" up on the big screen too.

Well, that part is a done deal.

And somehow, Ken Russell's "Tommy" is lurking in the shadows, though I honestly have no clue why.

Maybe because he's headed to Napa Valley?

Quick question for anyone who has been around the block a few times—is there any kind of "ATM" situation up there?

I think there’s one out there (if I remember correctly), though I can't recall which bank set it up—maybe Chase?

Hey there, fellow citizens and good people out there.
I’m looking for a ride up to Napa Valley—if anyone happens to have a spare seat heading from San Francisco toward Napa Valley, I’d be incredibly grateful. I’m a total stranger, sure, but also a brother under Godly laws... if that makes a difference.🙂 My only real requirement is that you don't drive like a maniac.
In exchange, I'll bring some top-tier Gracellen wine and some great conversation to keep us company.
Anyone feeling generous enough to help a guy out?
🤷

Has anyone actually sat through the entirety of Quiet light? I walked out after fifteen minutes of absolutely nothing happening—just five minutes of watching a family eat, then two minutes of some guy crying, followed by three minutes of driving, three minutes of workers doing stuff, and another two minutes where they bring over a tractor part... My friends bailed after half an hour, so they have no clue either. If I had seen this movie on opening day or even the second day, I might have had the patience for it, but watching it on the final day was just too much for me.

Emily Gonzalez51 said:Did anyone actually sit through the whole thing for Quiet light? I totally bailed after about 15 minutes because absolutely nothing was happening. It was just five minutes of a family eating, then two minutes of some guy crying, then three minutes of driving, then three minutes of workers doing stuff, and then another two minutes of them bringing over a tractor part... My friends walked out after half an hour, so they have no clue either. Honestly, if I’d seen this movie on day one or two, I might’ve had the patience for it, but watching it on the last day? That was just too much for me.

Me and my buddy were basically counting heads the whole time because I bet him that more than 50 people would walk out during the screening, and man, he was right.

Weerasethakul's "Quiet light" was so incredible that even being the fifth movie I watched that day wasn't an issue at all, despite how slow it seems. I can't say the same for "Three monkeys," though—that one was also excellent, just way more exhausting.

Arthur Garcia59 said:My buddy and I were basically counting heads the whole time because I had a bet going that more than 50 people would walk out during the screening, and lo and behold, I won.

Reygadas's "Quiet light" was such a masterpiece that even being the fifth movie I watched that day didn't slow me down, despite its apparent monotony—which is something I definitely can't say for "Three monkeys" (equally great, but way more exhausting).

Fine... 😁 But what exactly was so "excellent" about it if over 50 people walked out mid-movie, and clearly you weren't even paying attention since you were too busy tallying the exits 😁? Is the entire film just one endless series of long shots, or is that just how the first half hour looks?

Emily Gonzalez51 said:Nice... 😁 But what was actually so great about it if more than 50 people walked out during the screening? Honestly, even you weren't really paying attention since you were too busy counting how many people left 😁. Is the whole movie just one endless long shot, or was it just the first half hour?

People walked out because they have zero depth or subtlety—they just want mindless action and fast pacing...
I still remember the screening of Weerasethakul's "Blessed yours"—a stunning film that those fake indie types in SC couldn't handle because it’s just too boring for them.

Dennis Hall41 said:Fifty people showed up because they lack any sense of nuance or personality; all they care about is mindless action and pacing...
.

😂 Well, here we go. I can only hope that at least twice as many nuanced, sophisticated viewers stuck around to watch. It makes me wonder... what was actually beautiful about that film? I’m waiting for someone to provide a detailed, expert breakdown, because I want to hear about all those subtle, individualistic details.

Dennis Hall41 said:Fifty people showed up simply because they lack any sense of nuance or personality; all they care about is mindless action and fast pacing...

Cut out the pseudo-intellectual act. You could have put it much more accurately, like: fifty people turned out because the movie was just bad. And that "excellent" attitude of yours... anyone who doesn't see the film exactly the way you do is just some "fake indie kid" or whatever. I guess you're the only true one, right?

Sorry, I'm not trying to start a flame war, but I honestly don't get why nobody can give a coherent explanation for the scale of this film... It shouldn't be that hard.

I wouldn't go so far as to say the movie was terrible... I just realized about fifteen minutes in that I simply didn't have the stamina to finish it. It was my fifth day straight of binge-watching, and frankly, I was completely burnt out on that particular genre.

As Hitchcock once noted, a film is essentially everyday life with all the boring bits stripped away. 😁

I was up in Napa Valley 🙂
watching "Quiet light"... and honestly, I wasn't really feeling it, though I did stick it out until the credits rolled. I can't even put my finger on why it missed the mark—maybe I was just exhausted. Who knows? :nezna: That being said, there were a few scenes that were absolutely stunning. The opening was pure genius... you just need a certain level of patience to settle in.

What actually bummed me out, though, was how the audience behaved. The comments flying around 😢—where has that sense of decency gone?? It doesn't matter if someone loves a movie or hates it; you don't have to be rude about people's tastes (maybe someone just isn't in the right headspace for it, so it doesn't hit the way it's supposed to? But then again, what "way" is that? Everyone has the right to experience a film, a director, or the actors in their own unique way) ....but some people in the crowd this time were just plain disgusting. Zero class... it's sad.
I'm all for speaking your mind, but let's keep a basic level of respect for a finished piece of art... whether it’s a film, a painting, a book, or music 🙂

But anyway, back to Quiet light... I'll leave the deep critiques to everyone else 😬

For me, though... that one scene was definitely the highlight... the woman breaking down in the rain... that kind of self-destruction over someone you love. And that conversation between the two of them in the car.... phenomenal!!!!!! 👍

I watched 45 minutes of this film and, honestly, I felt absolutely nothing. Maybe I’m just not the target audience. 😕
That sunset looks pretty and all, but after ten minutes, I was already over it. I even tried to invent my own plot in my head just to stay engaged, but no luck. Zero emotion. 🤷

ruggedmarlin15 said:Look, I'm not trying to start a flame war here—honestly, I just don't get why nobody can give a decent explanation for the pacing of this movie. It shouldn't be that hard.

Here's my take—at least from where I'm sitting. I don't need gore, over-the-top editing, or some massive moral message for a movie to actually hit home with me.

From what I can tell—since I haven't been tracking the exact numbers of when people left the theater—it seems like a ton of folks walked out after maybe 15 or 30 minutes.
And honestly, that kind of defeatist attitude just rubs me the wrong way.
I mean, how are you supposed to appreciate someone like Hitchcock or Hitchcock when the first half hour SEEMS like nothing is happening before the plot and characters really start to ramp up?
I think you owe an artist a basic level of respect—just go in with an open mind instead of jumping to these hysterical, knee-jerk judgments.

I wouldn't even be talking if the people posting here had actually sat through the whole thing before dropping their "highly sophisticated" and "deeply relevant" critiques.

So, what's there to say?
If you think stuff like "Arrested Suspect" or "How the War Started on My Island" are the absolute peaks of cinema, then yeah—Reygadas definitely isn't your guy.

Dennis Hall41 said:I think artists deserve a certain level of basic respect: approaching their work—whether reading, watching, or listening—with good intentions rather than jumping to rushed or hysterical judgments.

Why would anyone need to sit through an entire movie just to realize it’s bad? You talk about "basic respect" and having "good intentions"... but where is the director's basic respect for the audience? Are we just some unwashed masses who are supposed to bow down the second some self-important director decides to grace us lowly commoners with a tiny crumb of their infinite wisdom? Yeah, right.

What can I even say to you?
If you consider movies like "Law & Order" or "Saving Private Ryan" to be the absolute pinnacle of cinematic art, then Reygadas definitely isn't for you.

What am I supposed to say to you other than that your post is pretty much nonsense?
Where did you get the idea that I think "Law & Order" or "Saving Private Ryan" are the heights of filmmaking? Is it because you couldn't find a real argument, so you're trying to force this narrative that I'm just "unrefined" (or worse, trying to claim your taste is objectively better than everyone else's)?

And, BTW, the opinion of someone the movie didn't move at all (or left such a bad first impression that they walked out of the theater) is just as valid as yours. It's purely a matter of taste. One person loves it, another hates it. There’s really no deep philosophy behind it.