Syndromes and a Century - DVD Review

SYNDROMES AND A CENTURY (**) - Starring Nantarat Sawaddikul and Jaruchai Lamaram. Directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul.

I rented this because it made so many critics' top ten lists. Of the 200+ lists compiled at MovieCityNews.com, this movie made 25 lists, making #25 in the rankings of 2007 releases.

This is an art film, in that the camera rarely moves, and each shot is like watching a moving painting. The longer the movie goes, the less hope we can cling to that there might be a plot. There's a little slice-of-life stuff going on in a Thai hospital, but there are also long stretches where nothing happens. In fact, it's more like a movie where nothing happens where there is the occasional conversation that might go somewhere.

It's more like a screensaver than a movie. Samuel Beckett would probably love it.