Certified Copy discussion

If I were a snob, I would say something like, this is Inception for smart people. But I'm not, and I love Inception. But I saw this two months ago, and it continues to rattle around in my brain.

Those who are intimidated by Kiarostami need not worry: this is nothing like his mustached-man-stares-off-into-space-and-smokes-while-contemplating-life movies. I love those films, but this is a warm, funny, sensual movie that I would have never guessed is from the same guy who directed A Taste Of Cherry.

If it's On Demand, and you have ANY taste for art films, then it's a must.

Goddamn I love this fucking movie.  I haven't even totally pulled it apart or digested it yet (though I had a brief moment where I too wanted felt like it was Inception but written by a genius) but it's sooooogoooooooood.  The fact that someone managed to WRITE this, and keep it not only on  the rails but so tightly wound together, and THEN film it and accomplish the same things and have the two be married together is nothing short of staggering to me.

My number six pick for '11 (though if I went back and edited that list, I'd probably slide this into my top five at the expense of Hugo or The Muppets, perhaps). It's interesting that last year should play host to two separate movies that resemble riffs on Before Sunrise/Set (this and Weekend), but I can say without much hesitation that I like this even more than Andrew Haigh's film. It's lyrical, romantic, complicated, and utterly moving. Kiarostami strikes a perfect balance between high concept art film and emotionally true story about the nature of intimate relationships; for something that

it's remarkably straightforward in the face of its complexities and never feels like it's trying to pull one over on you.

I saw it nearly a month ago and even the faintest thought of it still impacts me. It's beautiful, and a must-watch for any cinema fan. And I agree with Parker, go in knowing as little as possible, you'll be glad you did. I know I was!

I thought it was the best film of 2011 for sure. And I love Drive and Tree of Life and A Separation and Attack the Block, etc.

I like how I can't entirely tell if it's straight-forward or if it's one of those Haneke-esque "Duck Amock" kind of scenarios (a la Cache).  I also like that it doesn't matter either way because both angles still carry all the thematic weight.  Love.

I should NOT have put this on at midnight.  I had spent most of the day driving around and was too tired to take this on blind.  I was so thrown by what was going on.  It was as I was starting to doze off that I started to realize what the film was doing.  Must go back to it.

Before Sunset definitely came to mind as well.

I take her son at face value, but then, what does it matter? That's why the title is so wonderful. Real Fake.

Real Fake. I like that.

I'm inclined to believe that the She and Miller are married (though I wonder what that says about the son), but it's not the point. If they're married, what we're seeing is real (insomuch as it's being performed by actors, but you know what I mean); if they're strangers, then they're producing a believable replication of a longstanding marriage, so-- as Damon says-- what does it matter?

I love Kiarostami's direction here. He gets out of the way and lets the actors act, but every decision he makes is so assured and so perfectly executed that the film's craftsmanship ends up transcending simplicity. It's the work of a true master of his craft. I can't think of many directors today who could make something as confident and as no-frills as this.