Phoenix

Started by wilder, August 18, 2014, 01:05:15 PM

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wilder



Set after the Second World War, PHOENIX tells the story of Nelly, a disfigured Holocaust survivor (Nina Hoss). Unrecognizable after facial reconstruction surgery, Nelly returns to find out if her husband (Ronald Zehrfeld) has betrayed her or loves her.



Written and Directed by Christian Petzold (Barbara)
Starring Nina Hoss, Ronald Zehrfeld, and Nina Kuzendorf
Release Date - TBD (TIFF premiere)




wilder

Sundance Selects has acquired the US rights to Phoenix

wilder

Playing Saturday, February 28 at Lincoln Center

wilder

Blu-ray from Soda Pictures (UK) on August 18, 2015

wilder



wilder

Currently playing at IFC Center and Lincoln Plaza Cinemas in NY, opens 7/31/15 at Laemmle's Royale in LA. Slow theatrical expansion to follow.

wilder

I am so in love with this movie. The story unfolds to the rhythms of American cinema from the 40s and 50s . It's emotionally affecting but also intellectually engaging, and honest to god pulls one of the most astonishing and beautiful endings I can remember in several years, maybe ever. The last few minutes gave me full body chills.

Nina Hoss is one of the greatest actresses on the planet right now and delivers what I think is her best Petzold performance. She conveys so much through her physicality and the way she moves. _Every_little_thing_ is deliberate and paid careful attention to in Phoenix. You can feel Petzold invested in the details and the second to second progression of moments in the same way you feel PT invested in the design of The Master or Inherent Vice. Different style but equal care. This will go down as one of the best of the decade in my book.

Edit - Just learned that Nina Hoss starred opposite Philip Seymour Hoffman in A Most Wanted Man, which so far I haven't been able to bring myself to watch. I'm still hesitant, but seeing those two in the same room may put me over the edge

samsong

just got back from this.  what a tremendous, devastating film.  so deceptively simple and ingeniously conceived, and executed to perfection.  it has that invaluable quality of dramatizing its ideas rather than simply stating them (as kubrick once said of kieslowski).  it confidently boasts a mastery of the craft on every level in a quiet, unassuming manner that only makes the power of the film reverberate for that much longer.  not a single wasted frame.  nina hoss gives one of the best performances i've ever seen.

fassbinder would have been envious of this film.  films like this restore hope for the cinema.  it's turning out to be quite the year for the medium.  three that i've seen so far (this now being one of them) strike me as being revelatory works and among the best of the new decade.  if any upcoming releases come anywhere near matching the greatness of this film i'll be a pig in shit.

wilder

Quote from: samsong on August 11, 2015, 02:49:33 AMit's turning out to be quite the year for the medium.  three that i've seen so far (this now being one of them) strike me as being revelatory works and among the best of the new decade. 

what are the other two?

cronopio 2

i know for sure inside out is one of the two.

samsong

the duke of burgundy & mad max: fury road.

loved inside out but if i'm being honest, i tend to compartmentalize pixar movies in the context of cinema and consider them comfort food... reductive and probably unfair, but it is what it is. 

samsong

alright well I saw inside out again and I'm convinced it's a goddamn masterpieces pixar's best, and one the year's decade's best.

Phoenix is fucking amazing and everyone should see it.  still thinking about it.

cronopio 2

this is a five star film.
i still have chills and a lump in my throat.


Pedro

Samsong and wilder did an excellent job of reviewing this already, but I'll add my support. 

My initial concern was that this couldn't be that interesting.  Why would it be impossible to convince your husband that you were his wife, even if you looked different?  I couldn't have been more off base.  My concerns were laid to rest and how. 

This is such a complex investigation of identity, love, betrayal, etc.  Indeed, as Sam mentioned, these are fully dramatized--not merely hinted at.

It builds and builds to the final scene--I cried and cried and then I smiled all day.