In a Nutshell. Mini reviews of movies old and new. No fuss. No spoilers. And often no sleep.

Friday 1 May 2015

IDA [2013]

Director Pawel Pawlikowski's dreary black & white drama, Ida, is the sort of black & white beauty that is nothing short of a masterpiece.
Set in the Poland in the early 60's, a young nun, a week away from taking her final vows, goes on a trip to discover her family past where she finds out she's a Jewish survivor of the Nazi invasion.  Pawlikowski shoots the film in a stark black & white 4:3 ratio and makes every alluring shot count.  It's a carefully composed film done with precision that never lets it's imagery take over from the simple yet captivating storytelling.  Clocking in at a mere 80 minutes, the film packs in more of a punch than most 3 hour Hollywood epics can muster up in their entirety.  Sure it's painfully bleak at times but also manages to warm the heart with a bonding story between a girl and her newly discovered aunt.

5 alto-saxophones out of 5

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