Gaspar Noé's Vortex

[zomgmouse]

Devastating small-scale film from Noé, a huge departure from his bombastic provocations. Dario Argento stars alongside Françoise Lebrun as an elderly couple struggling with the latter's advanced dementia. Filmed in a split screen and lush colour grading, this is a harrowing and greatly affecting work. Definitely jumping into my top 10 for 2021.

[Junglist]

Thanks for the review, missed this at my local cinema. Missus didn't want to go as she saw Irreversible and refuses to watch anything else of his.

I see it's out so to speak. Gonna indulge this weekend. Amour is the most heartbreaking piece of cinema I've seen.

[zomgmouse]

Honestly fair enough re Irreversible - though this couldn't be more different (although being the same director there's clear stylistic similarities in certain ways, and a comparable intensity, just manifesting in other ways).

Certainly shades of Amour in this but again it's its own thing; if pressures I'd likely place Amour on top but not by a lot!

The sheer barrage of Climax still probably guarantees it as my favourite of his works but by gosh was this powerful.

[Noodle Lizard]

I missed it when it was playing at the arthouse, but I'm very curious to see it. I have all the same bad things to say about Noe as everyone else does, and I didn't like Climax much and really disliked Love, but I'll always watch whatever he puts out since he at least makes films that are uniquely his own, no matter how shite it might be.

The prospect of him having made a film that doesn't rely on some of his usual tricks (graphic sex, violence, drugs etc.) is interesting. Inspired by him having some sort of near-fatal medical crisis, apparently. I think he could make a masterpiece someday if he shook off some of his more tiresome tendencies. He came close with Irreversible (which is top tier for what it is) and Enter The Void (which is thoroughly flawed, but special in its own way).

Looking forward to this, basically. The bizarre casting of Argento is surely worth the price of admission alone.

[paddy72]

I think he could make a masterpiece someday if he shook off some of his more tiresome tendencies. He came close with Irreversible (which is top tier for what it is) and Enter The Void (which is thoroughly flawed, but special in its own way).

Totally agree re Irreversible. I also maintain there's an excellent movie in Enter The Void but, goddamn, it needs a trim.

I'll definitely be watching Vortex.