7 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Two actresses, Béatrice Dalle and Charlotte Gainsbourg, are on a film set telling stories about witches - but that's not all. 'Lux Æterna' is also an essay on cinema, the love of film, and on-set hysterics.
Starring: Charlotte Gainsbourg, Béatrice Dalle, Karl Glusman, Abbey Lee, Félix MaritaudForeign | 100% |
Drama | 53% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.41:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
French: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 2.0
English, English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 5.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Gaspar Noe is a director with an addiction to making provocative films (“Irreversible,” “Into the Void”). Some have suggested he hates his audience, looking to punish them with impossibly bleak material and hostile visuals, aiming to create tortuous viewing experiences strictly out to satisfy his malicious intent. His moviemaking modus operandi is up for debate, but Noe isn’t the most consistent storyteller, and his last endeavor, 2018’s “Climax,” played like a parody of his previous efforts, identifying a defined limit to his corrosive mischief. For 2019’s “Lux Aeterna,” the helmer gets back on track with what’s basically a short film about a production disaster, exploring explosive personalities and technical mishaps, keeping his cameras on the move as they capture the disintegration of what was meant to be a simple day of creative collaboration. “Lux Aeterna” is Noe’s version of a valentine to cinematic experimentation and philosophy, and while he eventually drives it into the ground with tributes to the avant-garde highlights of his early education, he manages to have some fun for a change, toying with the fragility of personalities involved in the creation of art.
The AVC encoded image (2.41:1 aspect ratio) presentation largely employs split-screen editing to tell the tale of "Lux Aeterna," with clarity quite good. Detail emerges with the chaos of the moment, exploring fibrous costuming, weary facial particulars, and tours of wood tunnels as cameras explore studio space. Textures are appreciable, and dimension remains intact. Color is pronounced throughout, offering bright primaries on color strobing, and the hellish hues of digital fire are distinct. Skin tones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory.
The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix largely remains a frontal listening event, capturing clear dialogue exchanges with plenty of overlapping conversations. It takes some work from the viewer to follow individual thoughts, but clarity is there. Music is limited but supports with authority, delivering a full orchestral sound. Surrounds provide some separation effects and musical moods. Low-end gets in some power. Sound effects are defined, including the piercing beeping that accompanies the final 15 minutes of the movie.
The bedlam of the shoot reaches its peak when cameras roll, putting Charlotte in front of a digital fire to portray a witch being burned alive. Technical issues arrive, allowing Noe to return to his directorial habits, with the final movement of "Lux Aeterna" left to strobe lighting and an ear-splitting beeping noise, pounding viewers with a growing sense of stress that threatens to destroy Charlotte. Of course, if you have any visual or aural sensitivity, this is not the movie for you. Actually, it may not be for anyone but Noe, who peppers the endeavor with quotes from famous directors, while "Lux Aeterna" itself is a riff on short films (included on this Blu-ray release) that helped to inspire him. Still, there's humor here and a vivid sense of color and noise, and the limited run time keeps Noe on task, creating a boundary to work within as he serves up his usual brew of pandemonium with slightly refreshed enthusiasm.
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