Lessons Of Darkness (Herzog 92) 9.0/10





Lessons In Darkness is Herzog's loose documentary about the aftermath of the war in Kuwait where Iraqi soldiers set fire to oil fields. I call it a loose documentary because Herzog doesn't necessarily tell the whole truth. He presents the foreign landscapes as if they were from another world; a world where the inhabits are essential destroying their own planet. There is little to no mention of the locations or politics of the war that just occurred. Instead, Herzog's anti-war message is shown through brutal imagery and a sparse, but effective narration.

The cinematography, music and feel of the film could almost be compared to Koyaanisqatsi. There are wonderful helicopter shots and intense shots from the ground. At a short runtime of 54 mins, this film is always captivating, mostly because of it's profound images and message. What makes this documentary, if you can call it that, stand out is how Herzog tells the story. It's a mixture of fact and fiction that makes for a moving and brilliant piece of cinema.

Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (Jires 70) 6.5/10

Well that certainly live up in the bizarre department. I can't say I loved it though. It's a mess of a film that I honestly don't completely understand upon first viewing. There was one scene that was laughable. Still, it had some really good cinematography, including a bunch of great overhead shots.


Howl's Moving Castle (Miyazaki 04) 8.0/10
The Thin Red Line (Malick 98) 9.5/10
Cat Soup (Sato 03) 8.0/10