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Silence (2016)  

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  1. 1. What grade would you give Silence (2016)?

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the rarest of films a legitimate epic dealing with complex themes and shit. in fact it's probably one of the most ideologically dense and complex movies i've ever seen. it's gonna give film academics decades worth of material. i think it's one of those "you get out of it what you put in" kinda deals. militant atheists and christians will have very different reactions to the ending. definitely feels like scorsese has put out the definitive representation of his struggles with faith that comes across in many of his films. can see why it took him 30 years to figure this shit out and even now there's no easy conclusion. 

 

not for everyone though, it's a difficult watch for sure and not one that gives immediate gratification. been thinking about it for a day and that doesn't feel near long enough. right now not the most celebrated film of 2016... but give it a decade. we'll see then.

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After so many years of being stuck in development hell, Martin Scorsese's Silence has finally hit the screen, and the verdict is: pretty good, but not great. There is a lot of interesting stuff here related to spirituality and religion, but there are isolated moments that felt like they could've been cut so that the film didn't feel like it falls victim to sluggish pacing. It's a film much more easy to admire than it is to fully embrace, and I wished it didn't feel like it took too long to finally get going. Still, the cinematography is incredible and the power of the material triumphs. In a performance that perfectly compliments his excellent work in Hacksaw Ridge, Andrew Garfield delivers another stellar turn that guarantees his legacy will extend far beyond his brief stint as Spider-Man. The whole cast, which mostly consists of unknown Japanese actors, is really good overall, although Adam Driver doesn't have much to do and Liam Neeson makes no attempt at trading his Irish accent for a Portuguese one. Although this is probably my least favorite Scorsese effort since Gangs of New York, it's still a movie that will be staying with me for some time. B+

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On January 2, 2017 at 11:12 AM, CoolioD1 said:

the rarest of films a legitimate epic dealing with complex themes and shit. in fact it's probably one of the most ideologically dense and complex movies i've ever seen. it's gonna give film academics decades worth of material. i think it's one of those "you get out of it what you put in" kinda deals. militant atheists and christians will have very different reactions to the ending. definitely feels like scorsese has put out the definitive representation of his struggles with faith that comes across in many of his films. can see why it took him 30 years to figure this shit out and even now there's no easy conclusion. 

 

not for everyone though, it's a difficult watch for sure and not one that gives immediate gratification. been thinking about it for a day and that doesn't feel near long enough. right now not the most celebrated film of 2016... but give it a decade. we'll see then.

 

It's really a triumphant cap on his religious trilogy (perhaps not surprisingly, all three films are very underrated). I'm not sure what I was expecting going in, but paradoxically, I think this is the sort of movie that'll surprise you no matter what you think it is going in. It's definitely not flashy and prone to big moments the way most of Scorsese's recent movies have been. In fact, the most noticeable stylistic choice (upon first viewing at least) is a simple whip pan across open space from one key figure to others. 

 

I think people will be divided between those who think it's too long and muddled and those who think those moments are all valuable and help delve to the heart of the matter... only to leave you staring into the water at your own reflection. What a fascinating exploration of personal versus doctrinal faith.

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Wow. Just, wow. I have no words - I need some time to process everything I just watched.

 

16 hours ago, Telemachos said:

 

My guess is that you won't care for it at all, but what do I know?

I'm very glad you were wrong. :):P

 

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A tough but thoroughly rewarding watch. I'll admit very readily that the extent of the viewer's knowledge of religion will probably play a huge role in his/her appreciation of the film; as someone who grew up in Catholic education, I was taken aback by just how powerfully the film captures and communicates incredibly heady concepts pertaining to Christology and Jesuit spirituality. It's clear from the first frame to the last that the film is a staggering work of passion from Martin Scorsese, who draws brilliantly on some of the same themes of spiritual suffering and catharsis that he examined in his equally underrated Last Temptation of Christ. His stark, non-showy approach also goes a long way toward making the film's drama feel remarkably intimate. In front of the camera, Andrew Garfield does what may well be the best work of his career to date with complete commitment to the role.

 

A

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Silence is a stunning achievement. Scorsese's most recent epic features absolutely stellar quality in every aspect. The cinematography paints a beautiful image that the exquisite sound design (that utilizes silence itself in a perfectly troubling way) harmonizes with in a truly phenomenal way. Schoonmaker's editing makes a three-hour long film feel like the epic it should be without any dull moments or sequences. The script really is the star though, diving into deep themes about faith and Christianity.

 

Garfield delivers his best performance yet as Rodrigues. A wonderfully faceted performance that moves profoundly through emotion and action, it's incredible. Of the English speaking cast, Neeson also impresses in a small role that feels more world-weary than anything he's done before. However, it's the Japanese ensemble cast that really shines, with Asano and Ogata being highlights. Yet, it's Kubozuka who really stands out in the ensemble, making a character that could easily be a caricature one of the film's most defined characters.

 

Scorsese's work on Silence is monumental. The fact that the film exists is impressive, but even more so is how it tackles Christianity, doubt, and what it truly means to be faithful. It has been called a passion project of Scorsese's, and it's easy to see why. This is a film full of passion and love despite the harrowing moments it portrays. Silence is a spectacular epic, a truly unforgettable film, and an absolute treasure to watch. A

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A thoughtful, powerful masterpiece from a director who continues to reach new heights of artistic inspiration after 50+ years in the business (rather than the meh-good-excellent cycle that directors like Woody Allen are good for by this point in their careers.) Additionally, as a history buff, I was amazed by Scorsese's attention to detail (even by the lofty standards established in his past works), with the epilogue being especially emblematic of his meticulousness. 

 

A

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A film that illustrates how damaging religion has been to the world.  There's a line in Angel Heart that says, "They say there's just enough religion in the world to make men hate one another but not enough to make them love."  That could have been the tag line for this film.  People fear what they don't understand and never has it been more evident than when a different religion was brought into Japan in the 1600's.  I have more to say on it later today but it has been in my head since I watched it last night.  I didn't love it the way most here did but it did stay with me and the last hour is mesmerizing.

 

7.5/10

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On 29/01/2017 at 3:15 AM, baumer said:

A film that illustrates how damaging religion has been to the world.  There's a line in Angel Heart that says, "They say there's just enough religion in the world to make men hate one another but not enough to make them love."  That could have been the tag line for this film.  People fear what they don't understand and never has it been more evident than when a different religion was brought into Japan in the 1600's.  I have more to say on it later today but it has been in my head since I watched it last night.  I didn't love it the way most here did but it did stay with me and the last hour is mesmerizing.

 

7.5/10

 

I've had more time to let this dissolve into my brain and it does get better the more I think about it.  I kind of found some of it to be slow, initially, but now that I've had time to think it all through, it certainly gets better.  Raising my grade by one whole point.

 

8.5/10 

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Not only is Silence the best movie of the decade, and the most overlooked one (which is shocking given it's Scorsese's career long passion project), not only do I find it to be the best film of Scorsese's career, it has just about moved its way into one of my top 5 films of all time.  One of the most powerful movies I have ever watched.  Silence is certainly not an easy watch, and one that you'll certainly leave gaps of time before you come back and re-watch it, but that does not diminish the immense power of the movie.  It is not an easy, glowing endorsement of the faithful, nor is it a glorification of martyrdom, and it's also not a skeptical critique on religion.  Silence is a layered and nuanced look at faith, to what extent a person will go to hold onto it (to what extent the faithful should hold onto it), a question about suffering and how it can be allowed, and ultimately a work that is affirming to the spirit and rewarding to the faithful.  There's movies you never forget, there's movies that stick with you, there's movies that challenge you, but Silence is one of the few that goes beyond all of that.  If you're willing and of the right state of mind, it just might etch its way in your soul.  It's a movie with ideas and imagery that I'm still meditating over three years later, but ideas and imagery that were always there within my personal spiritual theology, it just provided the clarity to allow me to look and see them.

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