Not That I Usually Condone Not Thinking

Jonathan Glazer's sophomore directorial effort, the chilly yet engrossing Birth makes for a memorable viewing experience thanks in large part to him finding a superb collaborator. Harris Savides photographed both Gerry and Elephant for Gus Van Sant, and with this film it is official that he is arguably one of the three best working cinematographers (along with Roger Deakins and Caleb Deschanel). While watching Birth you might feel yourself marvel at how perfectly composed the film is - in that sense it comes close to being Kubrickesque. The performers are all fine, but they take a backseat to the visual tone of the film. Now the hard part for a viewer is being able to retain these feeling after the film is over because admiration for this film will probably decline sharply the second you start thinking about it. The filmmakers don't seem to have much of a point. I'm not sure why Nicole Kidman's character has to go through what she goes through, and I'm not sure she learns anything, and worse yet it isn't so much that I'm unsure of these things but I feel like the director isn't sure. That nagging problem and some gaping plot points threaten to crumble my affection for the film, but then I remember a shot - any shot really - and I have a hard time discounting a film so visually enthralling. So see Birth now that it is out on DVD, but don't think about it afterward. Remember it, but don't think about it.