Yeelen

I get the impression that this is working on a level that's somewhat beyond me, which is frustrating because individual moments are fascinating and it's deeply beautiful throughout. I love its ability to convincingly convey a fantasy environment without really using any special effects.

An unusual African folk tale. The film is quite well shot and performances are compelling if not especially deep. It provides some interesting glances at Bambara culture and mythology, though I'm in no position to validate its authenticity. The surreal, magical, ambiguous nature of the movie is intriguing, but ultimately doesn't add up to anything exciting. Glad to have watched it once, wouldn't bother with it again. And the sight of a live chicken being set on fire was rather unpleasant.

Fairly interesting but rough around the edges with some subpar acting. It feels mystical, which I think it is going for, but at times it dragged for me. It might be cultural differences that prevented me from enjoying this more.

A Luz estreava há 35 anos no Festival de Toronto. Belíssima rendição mitopoética de Mali como forma de contrapor a visão etnográfica de fazer cinema na África que os Europeus adoravam vislumbrar, um pouco de magia não faz mal a ninguém. WEBRip no MakingOff.

Mythological tale told in a format more fitting its source than the usual Hollywood epic style. Often mesmerizing visuals of the performers and natural settings keep the viewer invested as the episodic tale unfolds. A film that honors its source and the region which spawned the tale is sometimes hamstrung by the limitations of resources available to Cisse. Worth the watch for those looking to experience a different culture through film by means of Cisse's direct approach to the source material.

Extra 5 for "my penis betrayed me"

Fair African "hero's journey" tale, which basically has a young man run away from and then eventually confront his sorcerer father. There are a lot of fantastical elements here (think wuxia) which adds a little confusion to what should have been a very basic plot. The scenes are beautiful, but there were too many times when my mind wandered, thinking "Oh, if he did that (or if we learned this), that would be interesting."

Malian sword and sorcery epic a la Conan the Barbarian with super slow pacing and zero special effects budget? Sign me up.

Very stripped-down and bare representation of a folk tale.

Right from the beginning, the intense music and cinematography give this a delightfully mystical feeling, though once a more concrete story is established, it becomes sometimes rather amusing and humorous. It's an outstanding experience to watch this film, with some moments feeling purely cinematic (and at the best of what cinema can offer).

The beginning and end sections are spellbinding. Almost enough to make me reconsider the lesser areas.

#830

Beautiful imagery and a nice little story that works as a tale of a young man trying to come to terms with his father. It's told through the guise of a mystical fable, and while I got none of the cultural references that didn't keep me from enjoying it.

"It's a sign of true genius that a director can summon the rise, fall and subsequent rebirth of the cosmos with such a profound understanding and respect for the shape of things." - Ed Gonzalez

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