- Sensibility: Some moments with a girl with a broken leg and his livelihood as a transport are small elements that give pause in an overall very reasonable story.
- Cinematography: The film is visually stunning. Great production design and lighting are combined with masterful camera work to create a beautiful picture. There are many extremely memorable shots that imbue the film with emotional depth. However, the high quality shot making throughout makes a blurred, layered, vision of a wife running through a fire stick out like a sore thumb. In addition, a montage of his life in the end uses a bit too much repetition to make it as poignant as intended.
- Energy: The film finds a strong stride early on, hits a few bumps, and manages to find its way again in the end.
- Narrative: A beautiful, tragic story of the olden days. The opening half is particularly strong. However, a visit from an injured girl and a moment in a theater in his old age feel a bit forced and add unnecessary length to the story.
- T-Points: The film received four bonus points: one for a set of opening shots around felling trees and a railroad, one for Robert's vision of his wife when a friend kills a deer, one for the "newness of the experience," and one for a sentimental conversation with a woman on a balcony high up in the air.
Strong front-runner for the year for best cinematography, even with the issues. Portions of it really resonate while others I think fall flat. Overall, excellent film to start the year for me.
Number of Watches: 1
