Sunday, May 25, 2008

El Aura

An honest and well-crafted indie. It saddens one to know that this is the second, and the last film, of director Fabian Bielinsky, who died of a heart attack earlier this year. But if you think that The Aura is going to be anything like his last (Nine Queens), think again.

Premiered at Sundance, El Aura (trailer) is an Argentinian "film noir meets heist thriller" flick. Gloomy and dark. Ricardo Darin's character is sublime and mysterious. Although the title may make it seem like a "horror" flick, and the trailer and the stereotypical mysterious voice-over makes it seem like a "thriller/crime drama", El Aura is neither. Its comfortably pensive, understated and esoteric enough to be considered noir, and definitely requires you to be in the right frame of mind to truly enjoy Bielinsky's work. Films like El Aura are truly rare works of art.

In other news, living it up in Oyster Bay. Have a blast this MD weekend, folks.

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