Lovesusti The Worst Film Ever

Lucybespro It is a performances centric movie

Phonearl Good start, but then it gets ruined

Fairaher The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

dswouters A couple of days ago, quite by chance and without any idea as to what to expect, I watched this movie on TV. It blew my mind as no other has ever done at first viewing. A metaphor for a clinical depression, this film, after the 1960s novel by Marlen Haushofer, is so beautiful that for me, who have my entire life been hovering on the brink of one, it went a long way towards reconciling me not only to that condition, but even to the possibility that one day I may actually have to cross the border. The gradual dissolving of one's inner world into a glorious outer universe all reserved to oneself. The animals who are the only remaining link to life, but one by one fall away, and in particular are senselessly slaughtered at the first opportunity by any "other" human who somehow manages to intrude inside the wall. Soon, only the ostracized white crow will be left. But when it disappears in its turn, we can (or must) be sure there will be something else – smaller, remoter, and more insignificant still, yet that will take over the task of anchoring one fast to the world.Quoting Beckett - "That's how it is on this bitch of an earth." Except that there are books and movies like Die Wand, and the breathtaking natural world it reminds us of, to help keeping it bearable.

dholliday My first instinct after Die Wand had finished was to dismiss it as self-indulgent rubbish and give it a 3/10, whereas halfway through I was nicely into it where it probably deserved a 7. So halfway-house it is then.What went wrong? After the mysterious setup of the invisible wall, and two excellent early scenes involving frozen neighbours and a car, the story winds down into solipsistic musing about the oneness of nature, which can be quite interesting. A monologue describing how the forest's thoughts are becoming one with her own was profound, putting into words something some of us may have felt from time to time.Near the end there is a disappointing dramatic incident which feels contrived, and even then the story syncs back into its stoic pace: ultimately leaving us entirely underwhelmed. It must also be said that we (watching together with my partner) needed 3 evenings to get through the whole film, having had to break it up into three shorter parts as we always fell sleepy. Regarding characterisation, it's typical of modern melancholic German drama: stark, sparse, stoic and frankly too monotone for the viewer to achieve much sentimental connection. Recommended if:you appreciate landscape cinematography filmed in the still-picture style. Almost every picture is a keeper.you are interested in an oblique story about a woman's necessary connection with animals and nature, away from everything else. you enjoy a really slow pace, with many long scenes where literally nothing happens other than inviting the viewer to soak up the atmosphere.you prefer to objectively identify a film's strengths rather than subjectively enjoy the ride.you have trouble getting to sleep.Not recommended if:you're tired of bland characterisation and dull pacing in German film.you're expecting a sci-fi/supernatural mystery.you like some kind of real-world explanation.you prefer the camera work to offer more variety than the still-picture style.you don't enjoy encrypting metaphor.

Guy THE WALL has a classic B-movie plot - a woman in rural Austria finds herself trapped behind an invisible wall with nothing but a dog for company - but, instead of making it a survival story, it uses it as the jumping off point for a slow, philosophical Euro movie. It's basically a one-woman show for Martina Gedeck, who carries this adaptation of the classic 1960s Austrian novel beautifully, with some assistance from the gorgeous Salzkammergut scenery. There's lots on the sheer isolation, lots on the relationship between man and beast, and a certain amount of symbolism but the film never goes overboard (although the appearance of someone later on suggests at least one rather weak feminist interpretation) and has an open ending.

Nathaniel Russell Not to be confused with the Pink Floyd film, the Wall is a poetic and beautifully shot film about isolation and nature. The basic premise is that a woman suddenly discovers that she is surrounded by an invisible wall. The film shows how the woman deals with her situation through a diary that she keeps, documenting the events of this unfortunate event.It is part survival film and part existential allegory with a dash of psychological horror.The film does have a slow pace that would probably be a bore for the masses, but I enjoyed its meditative pace that allows you to feel the gravity of the situation at hand and marvel at the beauty of nature (which is also a heavy theme in this film).10/10 for originality and beauty