Sailing to Byzantium

Rating: Null/10 (25 May 2008)

Whether you like the film or not, it sure is thought-provoking. And that's one important function of art. I am sort of on-the-fence about this film. There are things about it I admire and applaud. There are things about this film that trouble me (in terms of self-conscious art for the sake of art). And yet, maybe that's a big part of the point...
For those interested, the title comes from the first line of a Yeats poem titled "Sailing to Byzantium." The line is "That is no country for old men." It explores the cyclical nature of life and the role of art and spirituality in our lives. I don't know if McCarthy "based" the story on the poem or just decided after writing the story that the line from the poem was a lovely fit. Either way, it makes for interesting discussion.