Movies
I wasn't really on board with the Middle-Eastern wave when it happened, so I'm slowly catching up with some of the most respected films of that movement. I still struggle to see the appeal, though the mix of societal critique and barebones styling clearly has its fans. I'm not one of them. The film follows eight women as they try to live ordinary lives in Iran. The oppressive laws and customs of the country make their lives hell. Three women have just escaped prison and are trying to keep out of the hands of the authorities, another is hoping to have an abortion, and even smoking a cigarette can get them into trouble. The camera work is dire, the long takes are pretty dull as a result, and the performances aren't all that great either. The film does a decent job of highlighting the ails of these women, but I think plain documentaries are better suited to make that point. At least the film is relatively short and it changes focus quite often, but other than that, it wasn't for me.Read all