20131122: Documentary Review--Vivan Las Antipodas

Vivan Las Antipodas

1. Fundamentals, reception.
1. German live action feature length film, 2011, NR, 108 minutes, documentary.
2. IMDB: 7.0/10.0 from 319 audience ratings. Estimated budget, 1.5 million euros.
3. Rotten Tomatoes:  100% on the meter; 86% from 114 audience ratings.
4. Netflix: 2.2/5.0 for 1,233 audience ratings.
5. Directed by: Victor Kossakovsky.
6. Starring: no one.


2. Setup and Plot
1. The film has four parts, one for each pair of antipodal points examined.


2. One: Entre Rios, Argentina and Shanghai, China.


3. Argentina alternated between great beauty and straight out boring; Shanghai was both beautifully shot and repellent.


4. Two: Chilean Patagonia and Lake Baikal in Russia


5. Prosaic lives versus prosaic lives; in both cases, set against majestic landscapes almost devoid of human life.  Great camera work.


6. Three: Big Island, Hawaii and Kubu, Botswana


7. Both dreadfully ugly.


8. Four: Miraflores, Spain and Castle Point, New Zealand


9. Thank God, there is an end to this.  The upside down video has my teeth on edge by this point.  More of the same, only less interesting.  Sawing up the dead whale was not a plus, nor was the footage of digging a hole and pushing the corpse in.


3. Conclusions
1. The director is a bit behind the times; check Smithsonian channel for more current and engaging approaches to similar material.
2. One line summary: Well-shot, but boring.
3. Three stars of five


4. Scores
1. Cinematography: 10/10 Excellent.  Watch this in high definition if at all possible.


2. Sound: 8/10 Sparse, but well done.


3. Acting: z/10 Not applicable.


4. Screenplay: 5/10 The transition from one point to its antipodal point given by sky down ground up was amusing the first time, but immediately lost its charm thereafter.  Some of the juxtapositions were amusing, others were just boring.