Nostalgia (1983)

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

A searing, heartbreaking love letter to Russia. This film should be seen; a film that reaches deep into your soul. It's pure, as Tarkovsky was. The images alone, with no words, can profusely affect me, and can leave you close to tears of beauty. Isn't this Tarkovsky at his most ethereal, and transcendent? The shots move ever so slowly, like waves, pulling in from the tide, slowly lapping on the shore...this is what it reminds me of. It feels very holy, and delicate; like a forbidden fruit; something that we should not be able to see, but, alas, we have had a chance to gaze upon it. It feels as if every slow step, and movement, is a painful and melancholy step into deep, lost memories. The language here, in this, is a rare moment in life, to witness such profundity; here, maybe one of Tarkovsky's Magnum Opus, we see him elevate to the highest transcending level, of language and alike; of one who understands the world deeply, and passionately. Surely, the opening scene is one of the most beautiful humanity has witnessed. Domiziana Giordano here externalizes beauty, almost like a goddess; ethereal. On the screen, we are witnessing paintings.. There's really no other film like Nostalgia. There are so many scenes here that are extraordinary. Words can't begin to describe the fire scene, juxtaposed with Beethoven; words can't capture the essence of this scene in the way Tarkovsky's images can. The candle scene may sear itself into your subconscious; slowly, but it will be there. Tarkovsky has the gift of bringing the beauty, from ordinary things; to make them beautiful, if not more than normally considered beautiful things; it shows he sees the world in a different way, a special way; someone who is truly alive. It truly is in another dimension. The romance, and relationship in the film is pure, powerful, and melancholic; it is awe-inspiring to watch these conversations; they are truthful, and can leave you gasping, as you have never seen emotions, quite portrayed in such a way. The film also brings into question human advancement; how we have come so far from our simple years, when we were merely in nature itself; humanity has changed, and with this, comes the many problems we have now; anxiety and worry plague many; alienation creeps on our minds; because life is so quick now, and everyone must become something important; the pressure is great; a far cry from our simpler days.

Tarkovsky's my first real love. This man's films felt as if they were drawn directly from my own soul, image form given to my own dreams. His camera-eye is marvelously free, even here where mostly it moves so geometrically to put Greena-way to shame, or then just observing, silently and without moving. This isn't like "Andrei Rublev" (1966), which deep down I still cherish more than anything, and where the eye moves much like Malick likes to move it nowadays: here there's apparent discipline, kind of theoretical rumination in all the eye does and perceives, but it's of such beauty I dare one to ignore it. One may see this in how he sees small, every day things either up close or far away — light paints and shadows frame the action, which usually consists of us gazing upon a scene far in the distance. Surely the poet mirrors Tarkovsky and what he does. It's Andrei (Gorchakov, the poet in the film) who carries the candle the distance but it's Andrei (Tarkovsky, the director) who carries it for us to see.The famous forced perspective shot in the end is worth its reputation, but for me the interiors are the most breathtaking shots. This is great to see before "Offret" (1986) but especially after "Zerkalo" (1975). The former has, over the years, been unable to elicit the kind of reaction Tarkovsky usually does (it's his most difficult film for me for that reason, by no means reduced in mastery) so this kindles its flame. The latter, however, is as perfect as it gets, and stretches out to this as well, annotating, amplifying, extending.

No, you can't. Tarkovsky is the ultimate art filmmaker and he demonstrates it again in this great picture, I would say, his best picture that he made outside of Russia. The other one (The Sacrifice) is also great, but I would prefer this over The Sacrifice, which is a picture that sacrifices a bit too much of Tarkovsky trademarks such as being a picture driven by images, instead dialogue takes center stage. Here, by contrast, we have a picture that is driven mostly by images, hence, being a highly original and powerful exercise of film-making.The film also has a deeper plot than The Mirror, though it is still not a plot driven film like Solaris. It shows the influence of The Mirror on Tarkovsky films: before he made The Mirror, his films were still slightly more conventional but after they became much more avant garde and audacious.This film is essential for film buffs and I might say it is perhaps one of the top 100 greatest films ever made.

I've read comments written before, And I'm surprised how some people are criticizing the movie,and I think that they have to read some good deep poetry before trying to criticize the film, and I'm sure that they will not understand it too! This man is a poet, he writes images and metaphors, so he can make poetic films too! So If you are not interested in poetry you can simply don't watch the movie !And If you are interested in such thing ! You can enjoy hundreds of metaphors ,allegories, and symbolical images, You can see clearly then the philosophy of Andrei..And you can Enjoy that depressed view(most of the times) about Life , Children , Love , and that reaction toward the people who always deal with him like a stranger... But Is he really a stranger ?? Or people are the real strangers ?? and that lead to a question ,that if he is a real stranger , does that mean that he is wrong !??And We can't forget his reaction toward leaving his country , and how he feels uncomfortable , like living in a high place where there is less oxygen ! That place which he can't never find real own peace in!