No Bears

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Helen 01/20/2023 Panahi is a true humanist and his movies although local are universal. No Bears is a masterpiece through which he explores the repression and entrapment of people and a society in all its forms — political, traditional, superstition, geographical, emotional. And he delivers them with sophistication yet simplicity. See more Al and Jane F @RT05632007 12/14/2024 Overlong and overcomplicated. The 'film within a film' concept starts off as interesting but ends up creating confusion within confusion. Having read many favourable reviews I so wanted to enjoy the film but found myself so wanting it to end. Not that it does, in a conventional sense; the film simply stops, with no obvious resolution. No Bears may offer insights into contemporary Iran but it went over this viewer's head. The relatively modest running time actually felt neverending. Give me an epic like Citizen Kane or Seven Samurai any day. See more Timur B @woundalism 11/04/2023 I don't know. Better than bad but not enough of impact See more Jon P @44Jon 05/01/2023 "This movie is a political statement, and not an emotional experience with any thought or feeling invested in it. " Yup--the reviewer who said that got it right. I can only imagine there's been a campaign to promote the movie as a show of support for the director. There's just not much to grab your interest here on a human level. Even the most basic elements of the plot don't seem driven by understandable human motives (e.g., why the filmmaker is in the village in the first place), and the film doesn't even play with multiple possibilities to answer the question. Other plot elements feel forced and incoherent (something related to dust and smugglers). Ultimately feels empty. See more Alan K @RT73888340 05/01/2023 A great movie with layers and layers of storylines, truths and fictions. Remarkable, all of this "impromptu" moviemaking is beautifully filmed. Scene after scene is perfectly shot and beautifully framed. Surprisingly, it recalls Ozu, the Japanese master of composing shot after shot. Audacious politically, cinematically and emotionally, it is truly exceptional. See more elana k @RT79062488 04/22/2023 No Bears is my very first introduction to Jafar Panahi's body of work. Panahi's courage as an artist (both onscreen and off-screen) has truly uplifted my soul, while the story of No Bears has truly devastated me. The story and script of No Bears was persuasive and important, bolstered as such by a dazzlingly clear and sober dialogue, and the flawless performances by this lesser-known Iranian cast. That being said, I believe it Panahi's self-assured handle with form which was able to produced a viewing experience that felt so complete. See more Read all reviews

No Bears

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