I've never really understood "I fell asleep" as a criticism of a film. Because, well, any movie will put me to sleep if I'm tired enough (I fell asleep several times trying to watch "Goodfellas," and then I finally watched it all the way through after making sure I was well rested and fell in love with it) - on the other hand, if I'm wide awake I stay awake for any movie that's under 4 hours, no matter how boring or un-involving I find it to be. I've never found myself becoming more tired by a film - even films as utterly dull as, say, "Transformers" or "A Hole in My Heart."
An interesting film that asks some interesting questions. However, I personally found the film's formal elements (cinematography and editing particularly) to be kind of functional and sort of ugly, or at least bland. Happy for someone to explain otherwise as I would much rather appreciate this film as much as everyone else does than not.
"If we shadows have offended, think but this, and all is mended..." That's what I was thinking watching Abbas Kiarostami's Close-Up, a film sitting on the border of documentary and fiction. On the face of it, it documents and at times recreates a man's fraudulent impersonation of a famous Iranian film director, with the impostor and his "victims" playing themselves. What we discover is that there are reasons other than malice for wrong-doing, and though a liar, our man was motivated more by the humiliating facts of his life, his love of cinema, and fear of disappointing others. Ultimately, the film is about forgiveness more than it is about the crime, or else the film could not have been made. No one would have wanted to recreate the events for the director. Our man is a liar, but a benign one, which takes us back to the Puck quote, because fiction (and perhaps film especially because it involves actors in addition to the "auteur") is built on deceptions we are all quite happy to believe, and Kiarostami lies to us too, lies that would be undetectable if he'd never given any interviews. I don't really want to tell you what's real and what isn't, and so far as I know, it's mostly real. Or that what's the I and the rest of the audience choose to believe, because we need to.
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Comments 1 - 15 of 19
dondyarizona
So humane it kills. Powerful stuff. The last shot is so beautiful.numbernine
Mister Sabzian is truly one of the most intriguing persons I have ever seen depicted on screen.Borvaran
I love Icheckmovies, because probably, without it, I would have never got a reference to know and watch a beautiful such at this one. So touching.greennui
Completely original and absorbing.Rosenrotta
Goodbye Mr. Kiarostami. Close-up will forever be one of my most cherished experiences in film.nikosfa
must seegreenhorg
The Criterion essay really illuminates the dense nuttiness and strange profundity of this film.http://www.criterion.com/current/posts/1492-close-up-prison-and-escape
Liv Ullmann
I really liked this one. Actually, I think it was great. It keeps your attention from beginning to end. Definitely worth watching.Timec
I've never really understood "I fell asleep" as a criticism of a film. Because, well, any movie will put me to sleep if I'm tired enough (I fell asleep several times trying to watch "Goodfellas," and then I finally watched it all the way through after making sure I was well rested and fell in love with it) - on the other hand, if I'm wide awake I stay awake for any movie that's under 4 hours, no matter how boring or un-involving I find it to be. I've never found myself becoming more tired by a film - even films as utterly dull as, say, "Transformers" or "A Hole in My Heart."Bin M. Khulayf
this masterpiece is a must-see !Rosenrotta
One of the ten best films ever made. Unique and mesmerizing stuff.dvdgrdnr
An interesting film that asks some interesting questions. However, I personally found the film's formal elements (cinematography and editing particularly) to be kind of functional and sort of ugly, or at least bland. Happy for someone to explain otherwise as I would much rather appreciate this film as much as everyone else does than not.Siskoid
"If we shadows have offended, think but this, and all is mended..." That's what I was thinking watching Abbas Kiarostami's Close-Up, a film sitting on the border of documentary and fiction. On the face of it, it documents and at times recreates a man's fraudulent impersonation of a famous Iranian film director, with the impostor and his "victims" playing themselves. What we discover is that there are reasons other than malice for wrong-doing, and though a liar, our man was motivated more by the humiliating facts of his life, his love of cinema, and fear of disappointing others. Ultimately, the film is about forgiveness more than it is about the crime, or else the film could not have been made. No one would have wanted to recreate the events for the director. Our man is a liar, but a benign one, which takes us back to the Puck quote, because fiction (and perhaps film especially because it involves actors in addition to the "auteur") is built on deceptions we are all quite happy to believe, and Kiarostami lies to us too, lies that would be undetectable if he'd never given any interviews. I don't really want to tell you what's real and what isn't, and so far as I know, it's mostly real. Or that what's the I and the rest of the audience choose to believe, because we need to.wowwee123
http://www.veoh.com/watch/v48030256GmyJGNQwENGLISH Subtitles
sammysin
Tremendous stuff.Showing items 1 – 15 of 19