First up on the DVD list of obscurity that I obviously won't get through due to two things: my short attention span and my callendar filling up slowly; is Jim Jarmusch's "Night on Earth".
"Night on Earth" follows the exchanges of total strangers stuck in an uncomfortable taxi ride. Simple conversation happen, people bond in odd ways and multiple epiphanies are almost certain.
Jim Jarmusch's collection of five nightly fragments from accross the globes was apparently written in eight days. As much as Jarmusch is considered an auteur of comtemporary cinema, you can't help but picture him in a leather armchair dictating to his assistant a list of "cool by association" people that will make up his cast. He is the ultimate Indie that you want to hate but don't have the guts to. And with some very powerful friends to grace the screen, Jarmusch can offer as little as he wants to. Without all that star power, Jarmusch's films would probably not have the following of non-chalant hipsters that he does today.
To be completely honest - and I know I'll get chastised by indies, nerds and general film wankers; I really found this film basic. It reminded me of what you would do for your video workshop finals. Yes it has some clever get-ups and good performances (Gena Rowlands is great as the over-worked Hollywood casting agent) but it's just not orginal and frankly gets a little dull. By the time the segment set in Helsinki came around, I wasn't bothered to read the subtitles. Mind you, I was hungover, but if I can watch a whole film without even once opening up my laptop, than I think I gave enough chances.
2.5 stars
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