Will have to wait a bit before giving a rating to this I think.
It's a remarkable story that deserves telling, both for its specifics and how it relates to so many others. It's incredibly affecting, mostly due to the story told, helped along by the direction and animation.
The animated approach while not only chosen for artistic reason gives the film a sense of drama where it doesn't always feel like a documentary, which while being incredibly watchable and…
When it manages to capture an emotion and a message in a shot or sequence this film can be truly brilliant. Unfortunately it also feels a bit aimless, like the whole of the film can't quite get the separate parts to connect. Makes me very interested to see more of Mahamat-Saleh Haroun's work.
#18: China
Black Coal, Thin Ice has an incredible style; for the most part it keeps the viewer at a distance from the action, with almost no soundtrack, and an almost complete lack of camera movement during scenes of violence. The murder-mystery plot is also left up to the viewer to figure out along with the main character. Very little is explained, but since the story isn't that out there it was fairly easy to…
#4: Mauritania
I thought this movie was at its best when it felt like a collection of loosely connected scenes, showing different aspects of life under occupation. When it got more deeply into any specific story, such as the main one concerning a family living outside of town, I didn't enjoy it quite as much.
The portrayal of religious fundamentalism is more complex than in most movies I've seen, and its in the smaller details…
