Enter the Void

jester77

Having seen Irreversible, I was prepared for expecting something different. But this just left my brain numb, in a good way. It's going to take a few days to take it all in. It's an amazing piece of work, perhaps self indulgent, with very trippy visuals. It's a bit drawn out in length but will leave you emotionally drained at the end.

e_e

Saw it at jdiff earlier in the year, instantly became one of my favorite movies.

Hope it gets a decent release here.

johnny_ultimate

Surprised this hasn't gotten a release yet. Looking forward to it, although am prepares for mind melt. I saw the opening credits somewhere. Lunacy.

Chad ghostal

Was really looking forward to this having 'enjoyed' both Irreversible and I Stand Alone and but was a left a little bit disappointed. After a really interesting start the last third of the film really lets it down imo. (minor)

If you've paid attention to the conversation at the start of the film you know how it's going to finish, so just end up waiting around for the inevitable, while the various stories are slowly wrapped up

.

It's definitely something you'd want to see on the big screen to get the most out of.. As you can tell from the trailer, the visuals accentuate Tokyos lights and sounds and mixed with the internal monologue you get a very effective first person perspective (of what it's like to be someone tripping balls )

I would recommend it with the caveats that it's overlong, features the same kind of graphic tone as Gasper Noes previous films and as jester said, will leave you emotionally drained in the end

Cobraverde

Saw Gasper Noe's (Irreversible) new picture at the Dublin film festival in February and still is the best film of the year so far. Finally it gets a release Sep 24th at the IFI, do not miss!

Opening Credits:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPxgi-PiNFE

Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRNpSKsBKw8&feature=related

MisterAnarchy

That trailer looks very weird and odd.

duckysauce

frog version of smack my bitch up:p

bnt

Dr. Kermode of the BBC saw it this week, and gave an "instant review" afterwards, here. He hardly needed to say anything, since he looked like he was in a bunker, just after a bombing raid during the Blitz. (161 minutes!)

Cobraverde

duckysauce wrote: »

frog version of smack my bitch up:p

...which was itself inspired by Robert Montgomery's Lady In The Lake.

e_e

bnt wrote: »

(161 minutes!)

Actually it's getting a shortened 135 minute release here. Still I shall see it again it's like I've been having withdrawal symptoms since that JDIFF screening, it's that good.

Anywhere else playing it other than the IFI?

johnny_ultimate

Well holy ****.

I've never seen anything like this film. I came out feeling like my brain had been violated by a strobe light. It's a visual mind****, the camera and soundtrack never ever giving you a moments rest over the extended running time. The viewpoints are almost videogame like - first person, over the shoulder, ceiling shots - and again never stay still. Technically - the lighting, hallucinogenic imagery, a neon Tokyo, the low moaning soundtrack punctuated with techno music - it's absolutely astounding, probably one of the most impressive technical cinematic feats I've ever had the profound displeasure to experience. It's that wonderful, hellish opening half hour of Irreversible stretched to five times the length. It is undoubtedly mind melting.

The storyline, though, is a crock of ****. Total muck. If Noe's intention was to create a hell on Earth, he's succeeded - rarely has such a parade of absolute unpleasantness existed. Atmospherically, it's deeply unsettling and ugly. This is what Noe sets out to do - like the first half of Irreversible, the goal is to shock and disgust the viewer, and he does it better than anyone. However, stretched over like 150 minutes (and honestly, this seemed like the longer cut - the film started around 8.40 and I didn't leave the IFI til 11.10) his crass storytelling really comes to light. Every disgusting taboo he can break is broken and violated. The characters are painted in ridiculously broad strokes, their sole purpose to wind up in the most despicable place they possibly can. Viscerally, sequences like

the endlessly repeated car crash

certainly resonate and surprise. But the repetitive focus on

incest, strip clubs and humiliating sex

quickly wears thin - all the points and themes were examined in the gloriously grim first 45 minutes, but endlessly repeated to the point of satire.

The breastfeeding motif particularly is absolutely ridiculous. The ending 'climax' (snicker) had the vast majority of the cinema laughing their heads off - a poorly CGIed shot of an ejaculating penis in a vagina, followed by the rebirth of our long deceased protagonist

. The heavy themes are interesting,

such as the focus on rebirth and spirituality, which the constant presence the Tibetan Book of the Dead reminds us off.

But they are so bloody

(literally, when it comes to the graphic abortion scene)

in your face and obnoxious in the final act, it's just annoying. The final act of Irreversible sucked, the final act (and a good bit of the second) of Enter the Void sucks. Gasper Noe may know how to film a scene, but he writes it in the most crass, broad way imaginable.

Not to worry, this film is hell incarnate. That Noe has certainly achieved. There is nothing like Enter the Void, and despite the serious storytelling problems, it's a pretty much vital experience for any cinema fan. It's been some time since I've been so fascinated by a film - so impressed by the technical prowess, so infuriated by the narrative. Watch it on the big screen - this is a film that demands a sensory overdose, and on that front at least, Noe has succeeded. This isn't the best film of the year by a long shot, but it's probably the one I'm glad I saw.

Oh, and it has the best opening credits ever.

e_e

Saw it again today.

Awesome awesome awesome, even with 20 minutes missing. I walked through Dublin afterwards feeling as though I was still in the film, it so easily transcends it's many flaws.

johnny_ultimate

e_e wrote: »

Saw it again today.

Awesome awesome awesome, even with 20 minutes missing. I walked through Dublin afterwards feeling as though I was still in the film, it so easily transcends it's many flaws.

Yeah I had to leg it to the bus stop in a daze. Damn film ran 20 minutes longer than advertised :pac:

May I enquire what kind of scenes were missing from this cut? I honestly thought it felt far too overstretched as it is now!

e_e

There was a scene where Oscar's body re-awakens in the morgue and he is basically a vegetable, very eery. It happens just before it shows Linda waking up in the park so it was clearly a dark dream she had. It also shows her (after waking up) pouring Oscar's ashes down the sink. When watching at JDIFF the film really began to f**k with my emotions then.

It was (for me) easily the most disturbing scene, like something from Inland Empire.

e_e

...and yeah inexplicably it ran longer than 135 minutes!

johnny_ultimate

e_e wrote: »

There was a scene where Oscar's body re-awakens in the morgue and he is basically a vegetable, very eery. It happens just before it shows Linda waking up in the park so it was clearly a dark dream she had. It also shows her (after waking up) pouring Oscar's ashes down the sink. When watching at JDIFF the film really began to f**k with my emotions then.

It was (for me) easily the most disturbing scene, like something from Inland Empire.

Sorry, spoiler tagged your post as there is some major stuff in there :pac:

Missing scenes sound interesting. There was definitely a bit of emotional ****ery going on in this film, felt really weird during some sequences like

child Linda yelling after the car crash or the cremation sequence.

Funny you mention Inland Empire, was one film this definitely reminded me of (not least because of the unsuitability of IFI2 for films that are two hours plus!). Felt similarly drained after that.

Sir Gallagher

Was thinking of checking this out on Tuesday, it's been getting mixed reviews but it looks to good visualy to be missed out on a big screen.

xtal191

Sir Gallagher wrote: »

Was thinking of checking this out on Tuesday, it's been getting mixed reviews but it looks to good visualy to be missed out on a big screen.

Its a must see in the cinema, you should def check it out!

johnny_ultimate

Yeah, this is a film to see on the big screen in glorious 2.35:1! It pretty much demands to be seen in a cinema.

Sir Gallagher

I'm gonna check it out, it was just thhis part of the empire review that put me off slightly,

it becomes a misogynistic, metaphysical dirge that necessitates super-close-ups of Linda’s weeping, Linda’s vagina, Linda’s abortion (plus dead foetus), dead-eyed graphic sex, ejaculation, conception and birth.

Sounds like a delightful little romp. :pac:

e_e

Whoever wrote that review obviously had it in for Noé from the start. The reviews are fairly positive here:

http://www.metacritic.com/movie/enter-the-void/critic-reviews

But let's face it this was never going to be one to gain unanimous approval/dismissal. This'll still be given cinema screenings in years time, trust me it'll be a true cult classic. Might as well see it in this format while it's still on release.

johnny_ultimate

For anyone who's seen it, there's a SPOILER filled interview with Noe over yonder AV Club.

I enjoyed the very last bit of the interview particularly, Noe on the

CGI ejaculation

scene:

I don’t know if I should worry or not, but the image of the penis coming at the camera at the end was not meant to be funny. People are laughing so much. I don’t know if it’s a nervous reaction or because it’s really funny. But I thought it would be epic or mythological or dramatic, like the rest of the movie. Or dream. If you saw that in your own dreams, you would not laugh.

I'm sorry, Mr. Noe, but that is the one bit of the film that I thought was genuinely hilariously poorly delivered! There are plenty of bits that I found pretty suspect delivery wise, but that one bit had me in unintentional stitches!

Sir Gallagher

Seen this tonight, had a few drinks afterwards(which were needed). Mental. I'll try and give a better insight tomorrow if i can. I've never experienced anything as mindblowing as this visually and then again i've never been as disgusted(in parts) watching a film in all my life.

I'm drunk. This film was affecting as fnuck.

Sanjuro

I saw it at JDIFF. It's one of those films that isn't just a film. It's really (and I know this sounds like a cliche) a cinematic experience. There is no film really like it, and it really beat the crap out of me. It's absolutely worth a watch.

LionelNashe

I saw it this evening - I think that the above mentioned CGI'd scene caused sniggers in the audience because it was just the last straw in terms of gratuitously shocking the audience. I was thinking "They're not going to show ...Christ, they're showing it"

Sir Gallagher

LionelNashe wrote: »

I saw it this evening - I think that the above mentioned CGI'd scene caused sniggers in the audience because it was just the last straw in terms of gratuitously shocking the audience. I was thinking "They're not going to show ...Christ, they're showing it"

I was so happy everybody laughed at that it really broke the tension and eased the atmosphere in the room, which, at that stage was severely needed.

christeb

Looks like it finishes tomorrow in the IFI, I'll have to go and check it out after work.

Thanks for the reviews guys

christeb

christeb wrote: »

Looks like it finishes tomorrow in the IFI, I'll have to go and check it out after work.

Thanks for the reviews guys

Sold out wehen I went down last night - quite disappointed. I'll have to wait until I get my home cinema set up :cool:

e_e

christeb wrote: »

Sold out wehen I went down last night - quite disappointed. I'll have to wait until I get my home cinema set up :cool:

Argh that's why I try to book ahead earlier in the day.

Film deserved a longer run imo, perhaps if it moved on to Screen or Lighthouse but since the film hasn't been rated I think that's a long shot.

digme

what a head fck that was

kraggy

Is this getting a wider release by any chance?

Wonder will the Eye in Galway have it?

Richard Dower

I might watch it tonight, maybe.

Phony Scott

I was thinking of seeing it tonight and I was suffering from a hangover all day. Then I saw the credit sequence...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPxgi-PiNFE

I think I'm going to be sick!

johnny_ultimate

Phony Scott wrote: »

I was thinking of seeing it tonight and I was suffering from a hangover all day. Then I saw the credit sequence...

I think I'm going to be sick!

Best part of the film.

Now imagine a camera spinning around as if the tripod is loose for two and a half hours and you're about a twentieth of the way there.

Phony Scott

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Now imagine a camera spinning around as if the tripod is loose for two and a half hours and you're about a twentieth of the way there.

I kinda expected it to be something like irreversible, but this is a much more mind rape by the looks of the credits!

e_e

In some ways it's more disturbing (in a psychological way) than Irreversible. However there's no

repetitive head smashing or 10 minute rape scenes.

patch

As a viewer who thought irreversible was a very well made and effecting movie, this is tosh in comparison.
I have great tolerance for watching self indulgent film making provided I see a couple of decent scenes, but the director is clearly having a laugh here.
At least 2/3's of the movie is a camera swirling either over a building or through it.
Being technically proficient with a camera is fine unless you repeat the same thing over and over. And over. It's like an endurance test!

quarryman

Any screens still showing this?

Or does anyone know when its out on DVD?

Phony Scott

quarryman wrote: »

Or does anyone know when its out on DVD?

April 4, 2011

Otis Driftwood

Watched it yesterday.While its a visualling stunning movie it is a supreme example of style over substance.

Sea Sharp

Watched it last night,
Definitely worth watching but I can see why they had to cut it down for the second release.
The majority of the last half hour in particular just felt dragged out, pointless and needlessly 'artistic'.

e_e

Sea Sharp wrote: »

needlessly 'artistic'.

What does this even mean?

Richard Dower

e_e wrote: »

What does this even mean?

Think it's self explanatory really

quarryman

Phony Scott wrote: »

April 4, 2011

Wha? Ages away

johnny_ultimate

nedtheshed wrote: »

Watched it yesterday.While its a visualling stunning movie it is a supreme example of style over substance.

It is one of those films - alongside the likes of Vincent Gallo's output - where pretentious seems like a perfectly valid criticism.

Otis Driftwood

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

It is one of those films - alongside the likes of Vincent Gallo's output - where pretentious seems like a perfectly valid criticism.

Aye,Gallo is an odd one too.

I did "like" Into The Void but it seriously OD's on the trippy visuals,sweeping shots etc.All that led to me not being able to concentrate properly as I found it to be kinda distracting.

Or maybe it was because I had watched Irreversible right before I watched it,my poor brain was melted by 18.30 Saturday evening!

kraggy

Can someone confirm for me that this has been on wide release in Dublin?

Or was it just at the JDIFF?

Chances of getting in Galway? We usually get the IFI films in the Eye cinema when they're finished with them up there.

Would love to see it on the big screen.

e_e

Richard Dower wrote: »

Think it's self explanatory really

I really don't know. All films are art, so therefore one can't really be "needlessly artistic"

johnny_ultimate

kraggy wrote: »

Can someone confirm for me that this has been on wide release in Dublin?

Or was it just at the JDIFF?

Chances of getting in Galway? We usually get the IFI films in the Eye cinema when they're finished with them up there.

Would love to see it on the big screen.

Just an IFI release I think, don't think it made it to other cinemas.

Vic Vinegar

Sanjuro wrote: »

I saw it at JDIFF. It's one of those films that isn't just a film. It's really (and I know this sounds like a cliche) a cinematic experience. There is no film really like it, and it really beat the crap out of me. It's absolutely worth a watch.

I agree with you totally. It really sticks in your head after you watch it. Hard to define but certainly a warped masterpiece in my opinion.

Renn

No time to write up on this but for me it was the best release in 2010.