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"Aurora:" by the director of the fascinating and "one of the very

67.160.130.12

best films" of a few years ago, "The Death of Mr. Lazarescu."
Christi Puiu wrote, directed, and acted the lead--- and did a brilliant job in all three. Now, whether a deep character study of a very troubled man who still remains a cypher will interest you--- that's the question.
A middle-aged man with little or no visible emotion, except a proneness to taking affront easily, goes about his quotidian activities, interacting in complex, mysterious (because we have no back story, no perspective) relationships with family members, fellow workers, and acquaintances. Slowly, we realize his furtive, secretive movements will lead to tragedy, though no one gains the least hint of this before the acts.
We live in a world where random acts of violence relatively are common; fictional portrayals, perhaps to mollify the nervous observer, often center on playing out details that explain the horrific acts which themselves are made "exciting."
Not so with Puiu's film.
This is what I'd characterize as a "deliberate" film, eschewing the more popular "slow" characterization because of its pejorative connotation; actually, the film moves at a realistic pace, it is most films that are accelerated because of commercial pressure to "entertain."

Follow Ups:

Forgot to say - I liked the film - Victor Khomenko 05:58:12 10/01/12 (0)
It is torturous, without any doubt, but it IS good.

Also good, BTW, was the Distant, so thank you for good recommendations!
'The Aura': Moody, meticulously told tale . . . - mr grits 10:21:09 09/27/12 (11)
Yer late to the party!

Posted by mr grits (A) on July 28, 2012 at 20:09:12

Of a Buenos Aires taxidermist who lives in a fantasy crime world that soon becomes a twisted reality. Ricard Darin (Argentina's finest) plays the epileptic Esteban who finds himself on an ill-conceived hunting trip that turns ugly and fuels his fantasy of a secret criminal life. Even though this film is 2 hours, 14 minutes, I can't say there isn't a single frame that doesn't belong to the story. The actors and story-telling are spot on.

Even though this film is from 2005 it has legs and deserves 3.5 outta 5 with a bullet.
- Wrong film ya bong-head. nt - tinear 14:54:39 09/27/12 (10)
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  - Holy Cheech and Chong! I dumped Aurora off my list because of its length. * - mr grits 16:12:25 09/27/12 (9)
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    - It flies by. nt - tinear 16:38:48 09/27/12 (8)
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      - Like a 20-day Chinese Water Torture... - Victor Khomenko 12:02:45 09/28/12 (7)
        
        In Reply to: RE: It flies by. nt posted by tinear on September 27, 2012 at 16:38:48
        
        To me it is painful to watch.
        
        This from a man where novels start with 1000 pages! * - mr grits 18:12:42 09/28/12 (6)
        
        In Reply to: RE: Like a 20-day Chinese Water Torture... posted by Victor Khomenko on September 28, 2012 at 12:02:45
        
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        Why do you think I escaped? - Victor Khomenko 06:53:51 09/29/12 (5)
        
        In Reply to: RE: This from a man where novels start with 1000 pages! * posted by mr grits on September 28, 2012 at 18:12:42
        
        A film for someone who just won $60M lotery.
        
        Have you gotten a recording contract for Pussy Riot yet? * - mr grits 09:42:26 09/30/12 (4)
        
        In Reply to: RE: Why do you think I escaped? posted by Victor Khomenko on September 29, 2012 at 06:53:51
        
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        I'm coming now, I'm coming to reward them. - Victor Khomenko 19:14:59 09/30/12 (3)
        
        In Reply to: RE: Have you gotten a recording contract for Pussy Riot yet? * posted by mr grits on September 30, 2012 at 09:42:26
        
        First we take Natasha... then we take Poulin.
        
        I'm taking those girls to the goolag. nt - tinear 08:46:22 10/01/12 (2)
        
        In Reply to: RE: I'm coming now, I'm coming to reward them. posted by Victor Khomenko on September 30, 2012 at 19:14:59
        
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        First time I am seeing Gulag spelled that way... Oh... the Google generation! nt - Victor Khomenko 12:33:00 10/01/12 (1)
        
        In Reply to: RE: I'm taking those girls to the goolag. nt posted by tinear on October 01, 2012 at 08:46:22
        
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        It was a pun. nt - tinear 08:00:48 10/03/12 (0)
        
        In Reply to: RE: First time I am seeing Gulag spelled that way... Oh... the Google generation! nt posted by Victor Khomenko on October 01, 2012 at 12:33:00
        
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There is big question whether the films should indeed move at realistic pace - Victor Khomenko 06:46:24 09/27/12 (0)
It has been a fashion in Europe, and as any strong medicine it should be taken in moderation. Andrey Rublev is a masterpiece not because it moves slowly, so trying to create another great movie by simply slowing it down often backfires. Tarr is good, but sometimes I feel commits the sin of over-indulgence.

I started watching the Aurora, and already am getting the feeling that things could be said faster. Too early to speak of the whole movie, though.

As far as the spoiler - one simply can't avoid knowing this film is not going to end in laughter - read any discussion on line, imdb, or just recall the "Death of...".

From Netflix: "slow-burn drama as 42-year-old Viorel, a distraught engineer who takes drastic measures to end his emotional suffering after enduring a devastating divorce."

Not exactly the TV sitcom material.
RE: "Aurora:" by the director of the fascinating and "one of the very - Plinko 19:18:52 09/26/12 (1)
Interesting. I will seek it out....in spite of the apparent spoiler. :-)
- Spoiler: hey, all I said was "tragedy!" :-) nt - tinear 20:25:18 09/26/12 (0)
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