Autumn Lights (2016)

Please don't spend money on this.

Did you people see the same film I saw?

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

There is no story development. It's about neurotic narcisistic people in a remote place on the planet earth. That alone would drive anyone crazy. This was a terrible contribution to the movie industry. Categorized as a Mystery, but, there is absolutely no Mystery at all. The story was cliche and predictable. Acting was incredibly terrible.

Beautiful locations, so-so (if not dull) cinematography, and useless scenes riddled with weak and expositional dialogue. For an independent film, it looks serviceable, but what is technically satisfactory is doubled in it's problems considering character, plot, and performance. The writing and execution needs work - and though one can see the creators' vision and the concept itself has potential, it ended up resulting in an amateur product. It focuses too much on trivial threads, scenes are repetitive and drag. As a personal project, it's good - but as an actual film, it's a feather - it holds no weight to it. Nothing's really all too incredible except the location of Iceland itself, and let's be real - it's not difficult to make Iceland pretty on screen. It's one of the most moody, scenic, and beautiful places on earth - it's just that the story didn't do anything to service that. Heavy handed and boring, even pretentious, this film brings no revelations. Too much telling and not enough showing to bring about the emotional context it so desires to play on. Tries to be earnest without much substance to its subject, as well as predictable.Though this film wasn't that much of an experience to get through, I wouldn't object to seeing any future pieces of the director/studio's in hope that their next project will be much more competent. All that I've taken from this film is that I need to visit Iceland, but I've already known that for a very long time.

Angad Aulakh is a first time director who seems to defy most analysis. Now, I wouldn't recommend Autumn Lights unconditionally to my friends; not because it's a bad film (quite the opposite, it's a brilliant examination of the human condition) but because it's the kind of movie that would inevitably lead some of them to think "she told me to watch it and said it was great!" This is a film that will resonate very deeply with some and not as much with others.For starters, Autumn Lights is an art-house film under the guise of a mystery-drama. So the pacing will inevitably be slower. But if you can see past that, put your iPhone down, and forget your Facebook & Twitter, this film may enlighten you more than you would've ever expected. And, it may teach you something about cinema as Angad Aulakh appears to be a master regurgitator of old films, akin to Nicholas Winding Refn, Quentin Tarantino, etc.The narrative is straightforward. Man gets stroke of bad luck, meets intriguing woman, discovers woman is more than meets the eye, man gets entangled with woman and her puppets (and their strings). While the plot points are familiar, the writing and the revelation of this cast (led by young actors Guy Kent and Marta Gastini) is what takes this film to heights not foreseen.To begin, the writing is rather strong. At times, the dialogue feels like a play adapted for film. It feels punctuated, heightened, full of emotions and talk of events of the past. That is not easy to do and Aulakh's script is skillfully crafted. The characters dance across conversations of old loves, confusion and their misery, all but to discover that the answer will not lie in those around us, but rather, it can only be found within ourselves.Punctuated by a great score by two Icelandic composers Hugi Gudmundsson and Hjortur Ingvi Johannsson, Autumn Lights is a visual feast of an indie cinema. This is a gorgeous-looking film of washed-out, epic landscapes, muted tones, and set in beautiful Icelandic and Parisian locations, with a cast to match.Guy Kent is full of gravitas perfection in the lead role of David. As a young actor in an ensemble of a more veteran cast, he wisely underplays the drama of his character, which otherwise would easily fall into cantankerous melodrama. It is that smart choice which enhances the film tremendously. At moments charming, at moments cold, and at moments as mercurial as the character of Marie, he shows colors in particular shades that make this film what it is.Marta Gastini is also exceptional in the role of Marie. While her character doesn't undergo a transformation, she's a highly conflicted human being who makes choices to alleviate her own personal suffering. And her performance shows all the layers to Marie's pain, suffering, and sorrow. It's exquisite work.Autumn Lights is the product of a talented director's feature debut with a clearly personal and distinctive visual and narrative style. I look forward to see what is next to come from him. If you are at all interested in cinema beyond regular multiplex fare, it's definitely worth investing 2 hours of your time.

To begin, I was surprised by 'Autumn Light's Rotten Tomatoes score. This movie is interesting, well-made and well-acted.To start, this is a tiny story. Did I say tiny? It's about unique, struggling individuals intersecting during a somewhat tragic time. I loved the interesting choices in direction, music and how understated the performances were, which ultimately was what kept my attention for a story with a very little arc. The writing could have been a little more colorful, however, the discipline in the overall execution makes that entirely irrelevant to me.The film starts out with a death, and while this was shot with a very cold, emotional distance, it's an event that catalyzes the entire film and brings the American drifter of David into this strange world in the film. Played by Guy Kent, David is withdrawn, pained, emotionally-winded, and wise. It's an outstanding performance of subtle touches that feels just as melancholy as the movie is. Now that David must stick around in Iceland after coming across a dead body on the beach, he meets the equally melancholy Marie (played by Marta Gastini) and Johan (played by Svein Olafur Gunnarsson). These two feel like a colder version of Adams Family. It's an interesting choice that made me uncomfortable just like David. David is invited to one of their dinner parties, and there's a lack of comfort he feels that I, too, felt. You felt like David and you related to him. The ability to do that as a filmmaker shows the director has chops. David is essentially us, the viewer.Now that David has met Johan and Marie, he begins to fall into the drama in their lives and he ultimately gets mixed up in their secrets and lies. It's a story that really revolves around these three characters, and more so around Marie and David. While character development is slow, the actors bring a richness to the screen that get you interested.The nudity was a strong choice, for lack of a better word. While that felt entirely unnecessary since it did nothing for the characters and the film other than show nudity, it didn't make me dislike the film by any means.The score felt a little too close to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, however, it was very well placed and it varied from beautiful chorals to dark synths. It felt very original though, unlike lush Hollywood scores.My bottom line, as a film, there's comfort to be found. These characters feel relatable, real, and they talk about life in a way we can all understand. There is truth about life, love, and how we relate to one another. I give it 8/10, but for its boldness, 9/10.