Review of Alice in the Cities (1974) by Rajiv 2 — 12 May 2010

Alice in the cities is a film that filled with consistently good scene along the film, and I think this film deserve to stand alongside truffaut?s 400 blows for the most consistent quality in a film, and I personally like alice even better. As a road film, this film succeed to really take us to their journey, and as a friendship movie, this film also succeed for being powerful, instead of choosing to being preachy or too sentimental or trying to be smart, this film choose to form it strength from the ?emptiness? of the movie, the natural acts, and of course amazing chemistry between the two leads and natural acts, and their relationship somehow reminds me of chaplin?s the kid, a friendship relationship that blossomed into father-and-child feel, this thing described implicitly by wenders through the scene that has something to do with chuck berry.,.

This film is also very funny at some times, but mostly this film is very heartfelt with the sense of alienation and loneliness from the leading man, fascinating love/hate relationship, and philosophic concern that hides under the quiet, ?empty? and simple surface, just like alice comment about one of the lead man photograph ?That?s a lovely picture. It?s so empty.? a comment that could represent audience feeling (or at least me) after watching the movie.,.

And from the visual side, this film filled with germany and american?s landscape and crafted with lush-black-and-white cinematography, wonderful photographs, beautiful shots, and the ozu-like shot at the end of film is absolutely gorgeous..