Mostly famous for his Dekalog and Three Colors series, but Kieslowski also directed a vast amount of lesser known documentaries. I'm not a major fan of his work, but he's an arthouse essential that should be on every film fan's watch list.
Movies
The best in the trilogy. As someone who likes a clear and strong aesthetic, I could appreciate the way this film leans and often goes out of its way to incorporate the color red. The dreamy cinematography is an extra plus, and the score is also a boon. Even so, two decades later, the effect is a little less overpowering than when I watched this the first time. The performances are solid but with some room for improvement, and the plot is pleasant but a little meandering. And so, this was a nice film, properly paced, not too long, beautifully stylized, but lacking that tiny spark that would keep it a favorite of mine. One of the best things Kieslowski ever did though.Read all
The last major Kieslowski film I still had to watch. His films are very hit-and-miss for me, usually depending on how much effort he put into the visuals. A Short Film About Killing is one of the better ones, though it goes slightly off the rails towards the finale. It's a shame, as the first half was pretty nice. The strong, sepia-colored images are a sight to behold, and the main attraction of the film. Use of color and lighting are pretty great, though as the film shifts to a more philosophical approach, the focus on the visuals lessens. Those who care for that sort of thing won't mind, but it left me disappointed in the second half.Read all
A rather dreary film that gets a lot worse when Kieslowski starts to dwell on the nature of cinema. I'm having increasingly more trouble sitting through these types of self-absorbed films, and being set against a grim Polish background didn't make things any better. This was one of Kieslowski's worst for me. Films about films tend to be pretty lofty, and Camera Buff is no exception. But it's the grey and uninviting drama, the middling performances, and the unexciting characters that made this a chore to sit through. People who dig 70s grit and grim Eastern-European dramas will have a field day with this one, it's just not for me.Read all