Pacionsbo
Absolutely Fantastic
Zandra
The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.
Logan
By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.
herhdf2
When people are struggling just for survival, education for children doesn't seem necessary. Even the teacher himself, with two years of education, cannot make a living. In the film, the teacher's persuasion of the usefulness of education (some basic arithmetic and alphabets learning) attracted only one boy's attention - "you will be able to write your name." To other boys, to be a successful smuggler may have a better chance in life. In the film, the teacher wants to marry a woman without reason. There is not a hint of whether affections or economic considerations were in play. Even with a series of one-man-shows of teaching the woman "I love you," it is not convincing that the teacher "loves" that woman. The meanings of marriage and divorce are so empty which makes one wonder:"why bother?" The director gave us a glimpse of how desperate the lives of war-deprived people - which is heartbreaking. To a certain degree, she succeeded. However, the film needs more cutting to make it proceeds smoothly. Many shots took too long just to show repetitive movements (maybe the director wants viewer to feel the slow and tediousness of how these people feel?) One obvious editing mistake is that while the blackboard has been cut in half in the middle of the film, which miraculously maintained an uncut full-sized shape at the end.
Tim Kidner
Firstly, for all those who say that this DVD is expensive, do as I did - rent it from your local lending library. £1.80 for a week, less cos I got it as a 3 for 2 on a Friday. You'd be surprised what World cinema gems (at least mine) they stock, mostly ignored by the rest of the population as they sit there from week to week.'Blackboards' reminded me SO much of another story of Iranian children being mules for contraband and risking life and limb to sell them in bordering Iraq - the uniquely titled 'A Time for Drunken Horses'. That remains one of the most beguiling and humbling movies ever made and remains a definite favourite of mine.Some (well, let's be honest, most) scenes portraying the out-of-work schoolteacher, traipsing around the arid mountains looking for pupils to teach and how he gets married with his only tool of the trade being the barter, are eye-opening. Unbelievable, actually but as the amateur cast are obviously not acting this out for fun and the very seriousness of their plight, this is all very far from being a joke.The honesty of it all makes one humble simply to be alive, let alone being alive in our comparatively comfortable West. Like I said in my 'Drunken Horses...' review, one to show your children when they start moaning that their expensive trainers are the wrong colour.I don't think that the details of the plot are needed here. It's a short film and a lot happens, but slowly - and naturally. But, I will say that you'll never have seen so many uses for a board that's painted black in your life before.This is essential, but minor Iranian cinema. If you do come across it, either on TV or whatever source you can, make time for it. It's unforgettable.
bn38416
terrible....boring,and these people acted like morons.....i turned it off after getting tired of listening to these guys repeat every question a million times. they just say the same crap over and over.....and the marriage scene made me sick. annoying little bastards.I'm sure the movie was powerful in its own right,and i really wanted to see the hardships these guys went through, but i just couldn't get over how they talked to each other....the constant nagging gave me a headache,they were reminding me of 4 year olds bugging mom at the toy store.i would have like to have seen what happened after the marriage,but i couldn't get through it.....im sure this movie was great n all,but personally i like my films to not put me to sleep.....just didn't really need to be a flick,as far as im concermed. im sure you al think im shallow,but think what you will,i have a healthy respect for film,and im not the Hollywood lover you might assume i am. film doesn't need to be boring to make a statement.
David
I understand the vigorous debate Samira Makhmalbaf's BLACKBOARDS, has generated, but I'd also say that I loved this very demanding but often moving film - a remarkable achievement for a very young, but already accomplished filmmaker. Watching her career develop will be quite a treat.Shot with hand-held cameras and featuring a Kurdish cast of non-actors, BLACKBOARDS is very slowly paced, with a rambling quality that captures the aimless down time of everyday life. However the restless camera work also fills the film with an unceasing tension, gradually revealing the desperation filling the stateless existances of the many nervous characters.The politics of the region are an ever-present backdrop to the story, and unfortunate political machinations render both education and basic survival an arduous complexity - to live and to gain even the most basic of educations are made into luxuries, which - even in desolate and strife-torn landscapes - some are willing to die for.A handful of moments stood out for me: the scenes set in the river camp showcase the warmest of human interactions, and the final scene is remarkably beautiful.This very rigorous film (superficially reminding me of both Abbas Kiarostami and Tsai Ming-liang) nonetheless had me hooked.
