A deeply imperfect and uneven film, a powerful and bracing work of cinematic art. The first half is makeshift and intermittent, likely the victim of a hectic and rushed post production. This doesn't feel like the best version of the movie. Scenes and shots don't flow with the rhythm of the movie around them, and strange audio issues of jarringly loud dialogue disrupts the waxingy lyrical almost haunting nature-gothic tone. A lot of this movie is quiet, and LOUD dialogue is like someone yelling HEY to get your attention in a really silent alleyway at 2 a.m.. If Scorsese updated the tricks of the French New Wave for Goodfellas, here it's Bergman and (obviously) Kurosawa, and the three styles vary between gorgeous and awkward. A heart wrenching sequence of a confession or one of the many chamber dialogues that almost leaves you in tears is often followed by a clumsy transition into a quiet slow scene, only to suddenly transform into another powerful sequence.
But wow. Silence stabs at the heart of what it means to be Christian, Catholic, religious, and way more broadly than that, moral. The "moral issue" the film presents of how best to save society and humanity, and the inevitable and problematic hierarchy of bullshit that comes with it (politics, sociological issues, imperialism, power etc), and how to resolve the innate conflict between the two. One of the most powerful, beautiful, inspiring, devastating, and enraging movies of the year for me. Half the theater didn't get it at all, and the other half sat through the credits in a fucking daze. I was there with them, holy shit. If you think you know what's right, to what degree is it worth imposing that moral absolute on society in the hope of improving it? It's kind of the quintessential question of our time. Whether that takes the form of equal rights, organized religion, vague hackey sack spiritualism, utilitarianism, etc. Anyone who believes they are truly correct may have a moral responsibility to help save society at large, and anyone who believes this must be innately arrogant and stubborn—but what if you're wrong? But what if you're right?
Silence gives no easy answers.
BTW anyone thinking Scorsese paints either "side" as "good" or "bad" are PROJECTING for this reason. Silence shows a world of chaos. The ultimate portrayal of society and humanity was one of inner and outer chaos. Your ethics become inevitably entangled with your emotions and identity, which become inevitably entangled with the social systems around you. "GOOD" and "BAD" are reductions of what the movie, and also, like, life, presents to us. If the film was less uneven and more seamless and coherent this might be one of Scorsese's masterpieces.
Vader182 wrote:One of the most powerful, beautiful, inspiring, devastating, and enraging movies of the year for me. Half the theater didn't get it at all, and the other half sat through the credits in a fucking daze. I was there with them, holy shit.
when Ferreira visits Rodrigues, while the five Japanese are hanging in the pit, Ferreira says something that has stuck with me. Ferreira says something along the lines of how Rodrigues imagines this is the pain Jesus felt in Gethsemane, but how arrogant it is that Rodrigues would compare his trial to that of God's, while these Japanese people suffer and wouldn't dare do such a thing. Fuck.
Vader, my theater experience was pretty similar to yours. The credits rolled, and the theater remained completely silent - no one moved. Granted, the theater was only about 1/4-1/3 full, but it took something around five minutes before my friend turned to me and asked if we should go. We were the first to leave the theater.
While I don't think this is the best film of the year, it's been a long time since I've seen a film that affected me this much emotionally and spiritually - 12 Years a Slave was probably the last one that moved me the way this did.
I'm really excited to see how I feel about this movie. It's obvious there are a couple of flaws about this movie, but when Scorsese tries to make you feel a certain emotion, he succeeds in capturing it; it's usually a bumpy ride along the way though. Exactly a month from now until I'll have my chance to see this.
Michaelf2225 wrote:While I don't think this is the best film of the year, it's been a long time since I've seen a film that affected me this much emotionally and spiritually - 12 Years a Slave was probably the last one that moved me the way this did.
So this movie will result in me crying in a theater bathroom afterwards, that's what you tryna say?
when Ferreira visits Rodrigues, while the five Japanese are hanging in the pit, Ferreira says something that has stuck with me. Ferreira says something along the lines of how Rodrigues imagines this is the pain Jesus felt in Gethsemane, but how arrogant it is that Rodrigues would compare his trial to that of God's, while these Japanese people suffer and wouldn't dare do such a thing. Fuck.
Vader, my theater experience was pretty similar to yours. The credits rolled, and the theater remained completely silent - no one moved. Granted, the theater was only about 1/4-1/3 full, but it took something around five minutes before my friend turned to me and asked if we should go. We were the first to leave the theater.
While I don't think this is the best film of the year, it's been a long time since I've seen a film that affected me this much emotionally and spiritually - 12 Years a Slave was probably the last one that moved me the way this did.
RE: your spoiler tag comment. This is especially true in comparison to Eastern spiritualism. It goes to show the individualism of Western Culture as a whole—one Christ, one we must always compare ourselves to and emulate, vs the collectivism of the East. One large community. One society. You must submit yourself to be a part of that system as a whole and help it evolve and grow. You see that in people's DHARMA in Hinduism and obviously this idea of letting go of all in Buddhism. Many other examples. It's extremely credible to me someone might be exposed to some of these ideas for the first time and be amazed at what they preach in humility. (they too have issues though obviously... )
And yeah, Silence has stayed with me since I saw it. My partner and I went out to a fancy french restaurant after the movie for some Steak Frites, and all through dinner I could barely even pay attention to the food. We just talked about Silence the whole time. That doesn't usually happen after we see a movie.
Ruth wrote:
Michaelf2225 wrote:While I don't think this is the best film of the year, it's been a long time since I've seen a film that affected me this much emotionally and spiritually - 12 Years a Slave was probably the last one that moved me the way this did.
So this movie will result in me crying in a theater bathroom afterwards, that's what you tryna say?
When do you get to do that? That is, see the movie lol.
Cilogy wrote:The messy structure almost makes it seem like it was directed by someone else and Marty slapped his name on it afterwards.
Cil what do you think about it gives it a "messy" structure? Since I think the structure in broad terms makes perfect sense especially what I think is a really tight third act. But the scene to scene and shot to shot structure is what's off. and -I- think that's because they didn't have a long enough post production. Since they chopped four hours + or whatever into 2:40 fairly quickly.
