Nomadland (2020)
A desolate beautiful experience that still won't make you want to leave your home.
Presentation:
Chloe Zhao implements similar introspective naturalistic style from The Rider but this time is carried by a charasmatic performance from Frances McDormand. Blending a documentary style with indie filmmaking, the experience of reality and cinema become blurred once you realize that many of the cast are actual proud nomads. Visually I am a fan as there is minimal lighting opting to shoot sunset, overcast and blue hour, my favorite times to shoot.
Analysis:
The documentary aspects are most engaging until you reach the later half, which becomes more narrative. To me, this betrayed the organic feeling and felt somewhat manipulative in an attempt to add some artistic commentary on the experience in post. The film was unsuccessful in selling me the merits of nomad life despite the camaraderie.
Conclusion:
This really could be considered a documentary and a beautiful one primarily using natural light. But the passive storytelling was not particularly interesting. It borrows cues and tones from Lost in Translation, but i felt more lost with this one.
Sort by
- action 80
- adventure 52
- animation 28
- biographical 39
- chinese 14
- comedy 56
- coming of age 21
- crime 84
- culinary 8
- detective 17
- documentary 7
- drama 250
- driving 7
- experimental 17
- fantasy 49
- french 10
- german 3
- heist 9
- historical 26
- horror 66
- japanese 10
- korean 11
- lgb 3
- music 17
- mystery 79
- norwegian 1
- psychological 34
- romance 48
- russian 1
- satire 16
- sci-fi 56
- spanish 6
- sports 7
- superhero 9
- suspense 23
- swedish 1
- thai 1
- thriller 137
- war 21
- western 10
- zombie 5
- 🌶 3
- 🌶🌶 31
- 🌶🌶🌶 144
- 🌶🌶🌶🌶 205
- 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶 61
Recommendations
The art film directors wish they made.