In this modern day and age of film-making, this is still a movie that manages to come up with- and do something totally new. And it also besides really works!
The movie doesn't have a very likely subject in it for a movie and I will be honest; if this movie got done like a more straightforward and conventional documentary, or something along those lines, I would most likely never had any interest in watching this. It's not like I don't like or can't appreciate any art but watching an 90 minutes documentary about it would probably start to bore me, after a couple of minutes already.
This movie however does something totally great and unique with its subject. It's a one-shot movie, so the movie has no cuts in it. It's all one take, while the camera swirls its way through the Russian Hermitage museum. And it really feels like you are floating yourself through the museum and history. An incredible accomplishment and all the more so because the movie is using hundreds of extra's (maybe even thousands), in 33 different rooms. Everything had to be timed and planned perfectly, in order to let it all work out. And it really does!
It's really amazing to see how this movie got shot. It seems to be flawless on first sight and I also thought it was amazing that nothing ever was out of focus. And the camera does move around a lot, while lots of characters are passing by and at times the camera even moves very closely toward certain objects.
It's an historical movie about, supposedly, 300 years of Russian history. Lots of well known historical figures pass through but the movie foremost is still all about its art. There is some truly great and beautiful art to be seen in this movie, of all different sorts and ages.
I think this is actually a great movie to run in the background, while you are doing something else. It doesn't require you to constantly keep watching it (after all, it isn't really following a story) and when you do watch it, it's perfectly calming and beautiful, no matter at what point you will start watching it. This is also ensures that the movie is a great one to keep watching over and over again. You will probably notice something new and beautiful, each time you will watch it.
A tremendous accomplishment as a movie, that besides, through its unique approach, manages to make its subject great and intriguing to watch, all throughout.
8/10
Watch trailer
No comments: