ReaderKenka Let's be realistic.

ChanFamous I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

Fulke Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Staci Frederick Blistering performances.

Horst in Translation (filmreviews@web.de) "Die große Stille" or "Into Great Silence" is a German film from 2005, so it had its 10th anniversary last year. The writer and director is Philip Gröning and he has not only this film that has a massive runtime of almost three hours in his body of work. But lets not talk/write about his other projects on this this occasions, but on another. This film here was entirely made in a Carthusian monastery in France and the result of it is that there is no German language in here. Actually, there is almost no language at all as the people living there live their humble lives almost in complete silence. It is fine for them, but it is not really fine for the audience I must say as this is a film that really tests the audience's endurance. I guess you have to have a great interest in the Church and in monasteries perhaps too in order to enjoy this one. The idea and concept aren't bad and it shows that Gröning really wanted to make this movie after he tried it earlier on and the monastery said they weren't ready for somebody filming inside. But back in 2005 they were and the outcome is this film we have here. Actually, this project won quite a few awards and I cannot say I am surprised about that as this is exactly the film that pleases awards bodies I believe. It even won at the European Film Awards, our equivalent to the Oscars, even if it is not that well-known. So yeah, i think now I have summarized the main contents of the film and I believe that it's not necessary to go into detail any further in order fr you to decide whether you want to see it. The two crucial things one needs to know are that it is filmed inside a monastery and runs for 170 minutes and it's your choice if you plan on going on that adventure, what you could almost call it. For me personally, the subject was not interesting enough to keep this movie from dragging on several occasions and that's why I give it a thumbs-down.

gentendo I believe the director's purpose in making this documentary was for a multiplicity of reasons. One in which was to reflect on the beauty and simplicity of an exceptional culture and in the process exalt the everyday. Another reason was to know that God is by stilling the soul with silence and pondering upon his words, as demonstrated in one of the explicit scriptures shown: "Allow the stillness to enter in and know that he is." The following evidence will support both efforts made by the director.Whereas most Hollywood or even some independent films make their aim at reaching a conclusion (often called a climax, or resolution), Into Great Silence is not concerned about reaching any destination. It is simply about process and duration. It is concerned with becoming an observer—one who simply watches like a fly on the wall all of the events, activities, and services made explicit in the lives of real people. These people are not actors—they do not live anywhere near the limelight. They are ordinary yet unique individuals that live extraordinary lives. The camera work helps reflect this extraordinary realism by persisting with long and sometimes tedious shots of the monks going about their daily activities. The lighting is rather significant too. There are no stage light set-ups—simply all-natural. This choice by the director not only helps eliminate the man-made constructs of artificial lighting, but invites the viewer to become further absorbed in God's light—the only natural light there is.The simplicity of each shot sometimes seems mundane, but then again, so is real life from time to time. There is a beautiful sequence captured of rain pouring into an open puddle outside that helps the viewer appreciate the simple yet profound beauties of the earth. An editing choice of minimal ellipsis portrays the time elapsed from season to season as well. This preference helped exalt the seasons we often take for granted and gave reason to why we ought to praise God for creating such amazing sights to behold.This idea leads to the next purpose of why the filmmaker undertook this project. The idea of God being found in the silence of nature is extremely important throughout the film. In fact, about 90% of it is silent. It begins with a renowned scripture found in the book of 1Kings, which reads something to the effect like, "And the earthquake rent the mountain in twain, but God was not in the earthquake. Then came the fires but God was not in the fire. And then came the winds but God was not in the wind. And after all this came a still small voice, even the Holy Ghost." The idea of the Holy Ghost (God's voice) being represented as a still small voice gives definition to what this film is all about. Whereas the world would demand an astonishing vision or mind-blowing miracle to be converted to God's existence, the monks realized that it is in the depths of silence and solitude that God's spirit is able to commune with an open mind. The world, as is, is ridiculously noisy and hustled. The monks desire to retreat from it demonstrates their willingness to search after and discover God, as illustrated in another scripture shown: "You shall seek me with all your heart and I will allow myself to be found." An interesting symbol used in the film that brings out the idea of finding God in silence is portrayed through the use of the red candle burning brightly in the darkness. This image repeats itself multiple times to teach the viewer of the importance of being a light/influence unto a world of darkness. I believed this was to show how the silence of one's presence can strangely attract the mind of a darkened sinner. It is not through lip service that a person will be converted unto God, but through the actions one takes by being who they are—as reflected through the silence and lives of these diligent monks.

muzzle137 I couldn't quite make it through the whole movie. I loved the photography and cinematography, it was truly beautiful but the movie is essentially a parade of beautiful photographs and interesting characters . . . but it lasts 3 hours. To sit in a dark theater in silence for 3 hours is hardly possible.Anyway, back to the good parts. I really enjoyed the approach the director took to explore each part of the monastery from the kitchen to the wardrobe. Although scenes at times are drawn out, the longer scenes do allow time to contemplate what you are actually looking at. It would have been a wonderful documentary if you cut it by and hour or so.

Michael Fargo I've often pondered which sense would I rather lose: sight or hearing. I had decided sight would be the one to live without since music has the power to make me weep (often). But "Die Große Stille" has made me rethink all of that. It's a pointless game anyway, but I reexamined the importance of sound in my life versus the magnificent, ravishing images put forth in this film.Like the works of Frederick Wiseman, it's less a work of cinema than a window that Gröning offers. We watch seemingly arbitrary action both mundane and ecstatic. We're not "told" who these people are as individuals nor why they have chosen to wall themselves off from the world's joy and suffering. But as we watch, the pace of the film is slowed so that we enter this world and test our own thoughts about human contact as well as faith. But only if you're so inclined. There's no proselytizing.At one point late in the film one monk chides the world for living without God, and you immediately think, "How would YOU know?" And immediately we see the value of silence. In silence we don't argue or plead, complain or preach. We simply live with our thoughts, and here the brothers seem very comfortable with whatever it is they are thinking.Through repetition and ceremony, we enter the serenity these men have found. And while there's beauty in the physical aspects of both the natural world in its changing seasons as well as the cloistered setting, it's the tranquil beauty of faces that rivet. We meet them as individuals only in a series of live portraits where their eyes stare into the lens, through the camera, and into our souls. If I didn't have my sight, I would have missed that and been lesser for it.For me, this was an amazing experience. But for others in the theater it was tough evidenced by squirming and the occasional snore. Surprisingly, it was the younger members of the audience who seemed most entranced.