How much do the Oscars matter? I saw this movie appearing on a handful of 2016 year-end best lists and finally checked it out, only to learn (remember?) that it was a 2015 Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Film. Gah! (I still really want to see 2015 winner Son of Saul though.)
It was decent! Not great. I wanted more.
Two pet peeves with this one. One, despite taking place in the Amazon Rainforest, it was shot in black and white. I get what they were going for, I think; so much of the film's theme revolves around white outsiders (and by extension, we, the audience) vs. natives who live in the jungle, know the jungle, understand the jungle in ways they and we never will. So by desaturating it completely, you can make it feel extra alien, extra off-putting - not to mention extra old, which, hey, the movie takes place in the early 20th century, so why not? But still! It's the Amazon goddamn Rainforest! So lush and so green! Gimme that Planet Earth-quality nature footage. Wow me like Terrence Malick, "mood" and "atmosphere" and "vibes" be damned. (Eh. Fine. It's probably a lesser movie if it's in color.)
Second one - the movie's in nine different languages and none of them are English. (This in and of itself is fine.) So naturally it's subtitled. But holy hell, have you ever tried reading shadow-free white subtitles on a black and white background? Gimme those gross ugly yellow things, movie. Come on!
Alright, these complaints are weak as hell.
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