Product: A Few Kilos of Dates for a Funeral (2006)
Rating: 5.0
On Human Happiness and Other Ephemeral Desiderata
This is a great, great movie because it gives such poignant portraits of lonely people trying to find happiness . . . along with some wonderful dark humor. Described in the marketing material as reminiscent of an early Jarmusch film (a description with which I agreed), this movie also has great cinematography that operates to bring home the existential angst and jokes at the heart of the movie. For example, you will see amazing shots of characters phumphering around within the absurd constraints of their circumstances (e.g., on top of a bus, trying to figure out how to get better radio reception), silhouetted all the while by tremendous Iranian landscapes and skyscapes, reminding you of how tiny these people are and how nearly futile their plots and exertions will be in the universe of uncoordinated (yes, random) natural and human events. Each time I watch this film, I see more and more in this rich film . . . Highly recommended for thoughtful souls.