Review of Fantasma (2007) by Luis G — 02 Jan 2009
Obviously, one of the first impressions we get from this film is its superficial resemblance to Goodbye, Dragon Inn. Lisandro Alonso, as a ardent fan of Tsai Ming Liang's cinema, has brought his share of hallways, urinals, wandering people, and empty theatre seats.
This time, however, there is no ghost, no self-conscious quirkiness, and certainly no homoerotic situation. Unlike Tsai's stationary compositions, Alonso's camera glides gracefully through visually stunning moments.
He has stripped the architecture down to the most refined elements of cinema: a pure feast of sensory richness that anyone can appreciate simply through watching and listening. Very few filmmakers capture the plain joy of existence as well as Alonso.
Walk around, sit, listen, observe, meditate, immerse yourself in the surroundings and savor the rich feeling of existence. Films like this prove that cinema right now is just as exciting as 50 years ago.
This review of Fantasma (2007) was written by Luis G on 02 Jan 2009.
Fantasma has generally received positive reviews.
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