Inclubabu Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

Contentar Best movie of this year hands down!

CommentsXp Best movie ever!

Bessie Smyth Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

WhatTheyDo Can we all get over the "challenging" provocations that this Film attempts to offer. Forgive a potential Agism, but in the spirit of class conscious critique: This is a sign of late Godard, complicit in his Bourgeois canonization, making ineffectual meditations on a a medium already robust, ubiquitous and politically affective. I'm speaking of course about Video. A previous reviewer mentioned Ryan Tracartin - This film is at least 20 years behind Ryan Trecartin's most trivial undergrad work. Godard mobilizing the distancing, alienating politics of a pseudo-left closeted Eurocentrist in order to promulgate a consistent dominance over "Art House" cinema. Honestly what the blood is this film? a further denigration of the kinds of education received in low income areas of the United States, Northern Africa, Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe? Who is this this film standing up for? and if it stands up for no one then why is this nihilism necessary? The fractured subtitles are absolutely insulting - There is no transformative translation ala Benjamin, no generative deconstruction, no Stein, no Saurraute , no performative language at all - we are left with nothing but masturbatory sloganism (and not a kind of sloganism which implodes on itself in order to critique a contemporary state of language, rather a sloganism which, with full self awareness, alienates all those accept for the most privileged, most geographically/economically/culturally entitled). This film is no "challenge" to its audience as the audience for late Godard is ALREADY educated, already leftist (or at least conventionally Liberal) already enlightened as to the ornate delicacies of high cinema and already aware of and experienced with cultural forms outside of the myopic mainstream. Therefore, this film seems unnecessarily difficult, a poorly informed cloying attempt at relevance in a digital age. The Film says nothing about its medium other than a tired Brechtian breaking of verisimilitude at the beginning (a fruitless technique, as video implicitly points to its own making(s) given its unmistakable and highly recognizable fidelity) and is years behind even the most the primitive works of contemporary video art. It seems Godard did not realize the impact that Histoire(s) du cinema had on the rest of the world, and that the rest of the world has taken something he helped to pioneer and ran far far away from beyond it. I can't help but feel that Harun Farocki already made this film in the 80s and it was far more innovative, "challenging", inclusive and all around less insulting than this ultimately apolitical irreverency. There is nothing about identity in this film and an absolute disregard for the filmmaker's own place of power in the discursive grid (ie, heterosexual, white, wealthy, Western, mutilingual, gendered male). to the reviewer who in response to the fractured subtitles said "you should learn French!" - maybe in another lifetime free of inhibitory systemic inhibitors, financial constraint and economic-racial-historical determinism we could all take up this task of Eurocentric cultural Enlightenment, but for now I'll settle for at least a concession of legibility.

Steve Pulaski This is my introduction to the world of French director Jean-Luc Godard. He has been hailed as a filmmaking mastermind, prolific, reclusive, and utterly different, putting many American directors to shame. Watching Film Socialisme, I would've thought he was the Michael Bay to the French people. This is one of the worst, most unpleasant movie experiences I've had in years. Put that on the back of a DVD.Before you proclaim me as some inept, condescending idiot, who is practically void of diligent, efficient criticism, consistent readers will note I adore indie cinema. They will know that on weeks when a famed, hyped blockbuster comes out, I sometimes see it, but pay the smaller films due more often than not. The week Transformers: Dark of the Moon came out, I saw the divine Art of Getting By. Just a week after the release of The Avengers, I sought out the tenacious Bernie. Not to mention, if I can't get around to seeing it in theaters, I always try and seek it out on DVD. I rewound, Googled, and contemplated points Film Socialisme was trying to make and have come to the conclusion the film is utterly listless and is almost void of meaning. You can say I don't appreciate "art," but don't say I didn't make an earnest attempt.You know how sometimes, in a film, you experience a sense of confusion? Perhaps you become lost because you weren't paying attention, went to the bathroom, or even just drifted into your own little world while it was playing. Imagine feeling like that during the course of a whole film. Film Socialisme manipulates the viewer in ways I never thought possible. It deliberately makes its message nearly unobtainable by a casual viewing. It is a form of poetry in the opposite sense; instead of providing words and dialog, while leaving the viewer to imagine the visuals, it hands you the visuals and forces you to do all the work by reading so deeply into it you've lost your train of thought. I have no problem with movies that make you think. I find that to be an added benefit. I do have a problem with films that try to get by with the bare, bare minimum like supplying abstract visuals forcing you to form the vaguest analogy to what they all mean.By now it should be almost clear to you there is no plot, so let's focus on what the film does consist of. It is divided into three acts or proclaimed "movements." The first focuses on a cruise ship named the Costa Concordia, which interestingly was wrecked in January 2012, featuring dialog of all different languages as the ship sales listlessly around the Mediterranean. The immediate problem is the subtitles, which seem to deliberately distant and void of meaning. The conversations, mostly, take place in French. There will be a lengthy monologue, and at the end, you're provided with at most three nouns or adjectives, sometimes even words merged together likeso. If you're an average American, how will you comprehend this film? Ironically, the film is entitled "Film Socialisme," and much like the government system, it is unfair, biased, and annoyingly ignorant to those of other statuses. As an exercise, I'll sum up this paragraph "languages, conversations, ignorantstatuses." Run and decipher that.The second movement involves children demanding such answers and definitions to the terms "liberty," "freedom," and "equality." The third and final movement involves scenes of all different walks of life, from Palestine, Egypt, Barcelona, Odessa, Naples, and Hellas. By now, we've been alienated tirelessly, taken advantage of, and are begging answers, explanations, and further examination. Is this a location study? It certainly isn't a character study since we are never provided with one who appears in more than a handful of shots. Is this supposed to be indistinct commentary on socialism? It certainly isn't, since the topic is rarely discussed. Or is this supposed to be...whatever you want it to be? I can't remember the last time a film was so displeasing, thoughtless, isolated, and alienating. What baffles me is how the French director, Jean-Luc Godard, has developed such a loyal, concerned fanbase. Perhaps this was an off-movie, and he made it out of instantaneous thought and sudden interest. I mentioned before that Film Socialisme is my introduction to his work. Here's a connection I can make to that; imagine going on a date with the most beautiful man or woman and having them spit in your face upon arrival. Great impression? Well there's my connection to the film at hand. Steve: 1, Film Socialisme: 0.NOTE: The film ends with an FBI disclaimer, like one that will appear before a feature on a DVD, that slowly fades into French text, before giving us a black screen saying "NO COMMENT." The alienation just never stops.

Professor Klickberg We recently screened Godard's contentious "Film Socialisme" at a small art-house cinema in Boulder, CO where I live and I couldn't be more delighted by the response. Namely, there were many people who were infuriated about the film, leaving in droves and upset that such a film both exists and/or would be shown at said theater (the only art-house theater in the city, actually).One patron was even angry enough to leave a note behind for the concessions stand stating that she "speaks French" and was particularly upset about the subtitles of the film. She'd probably be the kind of person to get upset about the "punctuation problems" in ee cummings' poems. And don't get her started on Andy Kaufman!First and foremost, "Film Socialisme" is without a doubt a beautiful film. The way in which it was shot and edited is visionary, a true patchwork of modern/post-modern society/cinema today. The kind of film that -- as with the majority of Godard's ouevre -- may be ahead of its time but will certainly be enjoyed by sincere cinephiles looking for something new, bold and fresh. Beyond any sense of provocation, there were true moments of visual/audio splendor that simply cannot be seen anywhere else (by sheer merit of the fact that, yes I agree, no one else would be "allowed" to make/distribute such a film; and that in itself is important when considering whether or not you should spend the money/time on seeing it in the theater).Clearly, the subtitles of the film -- which are minimalist and fractured (clearly intentionally) - - are a play on one of the film's many themes: the breakdown of communication and language (think Gertrude Stein texting you viz. her thoughts on modern society). That people are growing angry about the challenging and innovative way Godard has aptly chosen to play even now with the very subtitles of his film is extremely exciting. Not to mention the fact that, again, aside from the "gimmick," the subtitles become a poetic innovation unto themselves in which Godard combines words into fascinating portmanteaus that invoke clever wordplay a la some of the greater avant-garde/surrealist literature. He has finally gone that extra distance in deconstructing every aspect of the film (including, at times, a brilliant dalliance with the audio mix that clearly has confounded viewers a la similar experiments by the likes of the Velvet Underground, Andy Warhol, Andy Kaufman and La Monte Young; there are moments in which you truly wonder whether or not there is an "actual" breakdown of the film being shown -- especially if you're lucky enough to see this film through digital projection; "Is there something wrong with the disc?! Oh no!!" Very exciting. Audience interaction, indeed!)Ultimately and as per Godard's typical (?) MO, the film is a firm lashing of the perpetuated bourgeois culture (particularly in America; hence his giving us the finger for not knowing French or the many other languages interspersed throughout the polyglot film; "You don't want to learn another language? Fine. Try figuring THIS out!!") Like Lenny Bruce and a younger John Waters, with "Film Socialisme" Godard is shaking up audience members -- particularly his "greatest fans" -- by provoking them in ways they may not be comfortable with, in ways that may simply repel them. "You want to be shocked? I'll shock you, but be prepared to be, well c'mon: shocked." We don't go to Godard films to watch a clear narrative or to understand everything that happens. It's poetry, it's visual/audio artistry, it's -- ultimately -- play and experimentation. And Godard has once again succeeded in creating something that will not allow us to remain static in our seats. If you can't handle that, he is saying as always, then feel free to leave and don't forget to ask for a refund on your way out. The megaplex is right down the street. Or, hey, buy a copy of "Breathless" and watch a nice "really weird and wild!!!!" noir film with a plot. It's all up to you!In the end, the film defies quotation marks. If you want "challenging," you've got plenty of it on Netflix. If you want challenging, however, see "Film Socialisme." Just don't be too upset if it... challenges you.

werewolfgal13 Let me first state that I am on the whole a fan of Godard's work and was excited to see this movie, that having been said this is a remarkable film solely for the reason that this was the FIRST movie I ever walked out of. Ever. From the minimal subtitles that only proved to confuse and annoy, to the windy microphones so even a French speaker couldn't understand what was being said. There was nothing in the film to keep me watching save the director's name. Fifteen minutes seemed an hour and by the half hour mark completely at wit's end I left. Not having seen the entire film I can't really rate it, but all I could think was that Godard was laughing at everyone still in the theatre; laughing at everyone that cites this pretentious unbearably dull film as a masterpiece, and proving that a well respected artist can get away with anything and people will still call trash art.