Sunday, January 11, 2009

SYNDROMES AND A CENTURY (Apichatpong Weerasethakul, 2006, Thailand) This is a film for film lovers; if you’re willing to experience a movie rather than just watch then queue now! SYNDROME has a subtle dream pace and structure that meanders passionately beyond the frame; the camera sometimes moves away from the actors while we’re left pondering the beautiful and intriguing visuals. I think this is the film’s strength and its weakness; it’s like a hazy dream that you remember upon wakening but whose confounding images contain no frame of reference so it fades quickly from the consciousness. This is like a Thai remake of LAST YEAR AT MARIENBAD but doesn’t rise to the level of the Alain Resnais classic. I think BLISSFULLY YOURS and TROPICAL MALADY are much better but this is definitely worth your time. (B-)